Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

18-Year-Old Shang Displaying Grace Under Pressure as 2024 Kicks Off

18-Year-Old Shang Displaying Grace Under Pressure as 2024 Kicks Off


By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday January 3, 2024

China’s Juncheng Shang is one of six teenagers inside the ATP’s Top 200 and generally thought of as a rising talent that could be a future top player. The former junior No.1 is a talented ball striker who qualified for three of the four majors last year and even earned two impressive wins over Ben Shelton last summer.

At the Citi Open last year, where he eventually reached the round of 16, Shang became the first Chinese man to ever win a match at the US Open.

Tennis Express

Shang has not produced a meteoric rise like fellow young guns Carlos Alcaraz (19, and ranked second) and Holger Rune (20 and ranked 8th), but the current World No.183 been growing steadily under the radar since he turned pro. He only won four matches at tour-level in 2023, but notched 29 across all levels.

In 2024, he has hit the ground running, notching two dramatic victories to reach his first ATP quarterfinal.

Shang, coached by Kei Nishikori’s former coach Dante Bottini, hails from Beijing but has spent much of his junior days at IMG Academy in Florida.

The soon to be 19-year-old (birthday: February 2) saved a pair of match points in the first round as he defeated 33rd-ranked Laslo Djere of Serbia, and on Wednesday in Hong Kong he saved another match point to get past talented Dane Botic Van de Zandschulp, 6-7(5), 7-6(2), 7-6(2).

Back-to-back top 50 wins to start a season? Not bad at all…

“My first ATP quarter-final, hopefully there’s more to come,” Shang told the crowd in Hong Kong. “This is home, so it’s extra special for me. I’m just super happy, with these amazing fans too and enjoying the moment.”


Shang, who faced a match point with Van de Zandschulp leading 6-5 in set two, says that both wins deserve to be called the best of his career. He will face Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals.

Shang lost to Tiafoe in both of their previous meetings, at the Australian Open last January and at Washington, D.C last August. He has never won a set from the American.


The Beijing native is proud to be taking a page from the legends of the came with his Houdini theatrics, and sees his success this week as a direct product of his hard work and determination.

“You see all the great players, they have moments saving match points,” Shang said. “It’s a great value for me to never give up, that’s how I want to play tennis into the future, to keep that attitude and to be myself.

Shang takes a philosophical approach to his tennis, and to life, seeing them as one and the same.

“I think it’s from the build-up in this pre-season. I haven’t always been this calm in important moments. On court time is only three hours and 32 minutes of the day, but you have 24 hours in the day. That just builds how you are as a person, not just in tennis, but in life too.”






Source link

This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.