Shang Juncheng and Zhang Zhizhen etched their names within the historical past books on Sunday after they grew to become the primary Chinese language duo to win ATP Challenger Tour titles in the identical week. Following the success of Wu Yibing, who’s gained three Challenger titles this 12 months together with two weeks in the past in Indianapolis, China now has three male gamers within the High 250 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Shang, 17, triumphed on Sunday to turn into the youngest Chinese language champion in Challenger Tour historical past. {The teenager} defeated Emilio Gomez, who was on a 9 match profitable streak, 6-4, 6-4 to seize the Lexington Challenger offered by Meridian Wealth Administration title.
En path to the trophy, Shang took out the highest seed and up to date Nur-Sultan titlist, Roman Safiullin, recovering from a 0-6 first-set shutout to advance to the semi-finals, the place he once more rallied from a set all the way down to defeat Aleksander Kovacevic. Two weeks in the past the American had six championship factors towards Wu within the Indianapolis ultimate however couldn’t shut out the match.
Coached by former World No. 1 and fellow lefty Marcelo Rios, who was in Lexington, Shang is the youngest participant to win a Challenger title since Carlos Alcaraz at Alicante in 2020.
Since 2010, solely 4 males have gained a Challenger title at a youthful age: Felix Auger-Aliassime (16 years, 10 months), Alexander Zverev (17 years, 2 months), Carlos Alcaraz (17 years, 3 months), and Nicola Kuhn (17 years, 3 months).
The left-hander rises greater than 100 spots within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, as he reaches a career-high 241. Ecuador’s Gomez, who gained the Winnipeg Challenger the earlier week, attracts nearer to a High-100 debut, climbing to a career-high 114.
Showing in his third straight Challenger ultimate after runner-up finishes in Luedenscheid and Trieste, Zhang collected his third Challenger title when he triumphed on the Serena Wines Tennis Cup 1881 in Cordenons, Italy. Needing three hours and two minutes to win his first title since 2019, Zhang overcame residence favorite Andrea Vavassori 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 within the ultimate.
The 25-year-old’s profession finest mark of 136, reached in 2020, is the best achieved by a male Chinese language participant. His Cordenons title lifts him to World No. 161 and reclaims his standing from Wu (now 173) as China’s highest-ranked participant.
In a busy week on the Italian clay for Vavassori, he teamed with Dustin Brown to win the doubles title. Showing in back-to-back singles finals in San Bendetto and Cordenons, his current success propels Vavassori to a career-high 176 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
#NextGenATP Jiri Lehecka stored his eyes set on the eight-player Intesa Sanpaolo Subsequent Gen ATP Finals after profitable the Svijany Open. Taking part in at residence in Liberec, Czech Republic, the 20-year-old took down Spaniard Nicolas Alvarez Varona 6-4, 6-4 to clinch his first Challenger title of the season and third total.
The Czech charged to a maiden Tour-level semi-final in February as a qualifier on the ATP 500 occasion in Rotterdam, a run that included upsetting Lorenzo Musetti, Botic Van de Zandschulp, and Denis Shapovalov.
The previous Wimbledon boys’ doubles champion (w/ Jonas Forejtek) climbs to a career-high 59 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and is sixth within the Pepperstone ATP Stay Race to Milan. Alvarez Varona additionally reaches a career-high 223.
from Tennis – ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/rNIh8wx
