In an electrifying showdown at the China Open in Beijing on Friday, China's rising star Buyunchaokete pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat fellow compatriot Shang Juncheng with scores of 6(3)-7, 6-2, 6-4, advancing to the tournament's second round.
The matchup between these two homegrown talents had fans on the edge of their seats! Both players have been making waves recently, each achieving significant career milestones. Buyunchaokete wowed audiences by reaching the semifinals at the Hangzhou Open in east China's Zhejiang Province earlier this week. On the other hand, Shang clinched his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour title at the Chengdu Open in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Talk about an epic clash of titans! 💥
The first set was a rollercoaster ride 🎢, with both players fiercely defending their serves, pushing the score to 3-3. Shang seized the moment in the seventh game, earning two break points. Despite Buyunchaokete's two aces to fend off the threat, Shang broke through, taking the game and leading 3-5. But Buyunchaokete wasn't backing down! He retaliated by breaking Shang's serve and leveling the score, forcing a tiebreaker. Shang edged out Buyunchaokete to claim the first set, taking an early lead of 1-0.
Channeling his inner champion, Buyunchaokete dominated the second set. He kicked off with a break and secured three breaks overall in the set. Even though Shang managed to break Buyunchaokete's first serve, he couldn't halt Buyunchaokete's momentum, who sealed the set with a powerful ace. The crowd went wild! 🙌
The tension peaked in the third set. Both players exchanged breaks, knotting the score at 4-4. The atmosphere was electric ⚡️! Shang faltered on his fifth serve, giving Buyunchaokete the edge he needed. Serving for the match, Buyunchaokete slammed an ace to clinch the victory, much to the delight of fans cheering on the home favorite.
With this thrilling win, Buyunchaokete advances to face the No. 6 seed, Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, in the next round. We're already grabbing our popcorn for that one! 🍿
In other matches, China's Zhang Zhizhen faced a tough battle but ultimately fell to Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 3-6, 6-4, 3-6. Meanwhile, second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz of Spain defeated France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard with a straight 6-4, 6-4 win.
Stay tuned for more action from the China Open! Who knows what surprises are in store? 🎾🔥
Reference(s):
Buyunchaokete of China advances to second round at China Open
cgtn.com
