The reaction was pure and joyous. The achievement, undeniable.
Chalk up another great moment for Chinese tennis in Shanghai, as 20-year-old Juncheng Shang took out Karen Khachanov 7-6(3), 6-3 for his first career Top 10 victory.
The Chinese came through an up-and-down opening set (he was a break up, then a break down) to take it in a tiebreak. The second set was dead even until Shang broke for 5-3 when Khachanov missed an easy volley wide of the sideline and smashed a ball into the ether, earning a code violation.
Shang then held at love to clinch his victory.
“Unbelievable match today against Karen. He’s a very solid Top 10 player,” Shang said. “I didn’t start perfectly in the match, but kept fighting, kept focusing every point, was playing really happy, no matter winning or losing.”
By doing so, world No.237 (formerly No.47) Shang becomes the youngest Chinese player to ever reach the third round in Shanghai, and keeps alive a run of three consecutive appearances by Chinese men in the third round in Shanghai. Zhang Zhizhen did it in 2023, reaching the fourth round, while Wu Yibing reached the third round last year before falling to Carlos Alcaraz.
It’s been a rough year for Shang, who suffered a right foot injury at the Australian Open and had to have surgery in March. He was ranked No.50, but after a six-month hiatus he returned to Canada this summer outside of the Top 100.
Shang, who was 0-6 vs the Top-10 prior to his win over 10th-ranked Khachanov, is now the fourth Chinese man in history to defeat a Top 10 player, along with Wu, Zhang and Bu Yunchaokete – all of those victories have come in the last three years.
Shang’s grandmother was in attendance, and Shang said that she was trying to give him tactical advice from her seat.
“I’m glad that I didn’t listen to her, but super happy to have family here, having them watching is incredible.”
Asked how he closed out the match so calmly, he said:
“I think overall I just didn’t think too much, sometimes the winners come without thinking,” he said. “Against players like Karen you might only have one chance to close it out. If I didn’t it might be a grind in the third set, you never know. I’m glad that I kept the focus.”
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