The reaction was clean and cheerful. Arrival, undeniable.
Foam another great moment for Chinese tennis in Shanghai, after 20-year-old Juncheng Shang brought Khachanov 7-6 (3), 6-3 for his first career victory 10.
The Chinese came through an opening group up and down (it was a split, then a division) to get it in a tiebreak. The second set was dead even until Shang broke for 5-3 when Khachanov lost a light vast volleyball of the side and destroyed a ball in the ether, gaining a violation of the code.
Shang then kept in love to capture his victory.
“The incredible match against Karen today. He’s a very strong player 10 players,” Shang said. “I didn’t start perfectly in the match, but I kept fighting.
In doing so, World No. 237 (formerly no. 47) Shang becomes the youngest Chinese player to ever reached the third round in Shanghai, and keeps alive with 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 arrived at the third round last year before falling to Carlos Alcaraz.
It has been a rough year for Shang, who suffered a right foot injury in Australian Open and had to surgery in March. He ranked No.50, but after a six -month break he returned to Canada this summer outside the 100 best.
Shang, who was 0-6 vs Top-10 before his 10th Rang Khachanov victory, is now the fourth Chinese man in history who defeats a 10 best player, along with Wu, Zhang and Bu Yunchaokete-all those winning have come in the last three years.
Shang’s grandmother was present, and Shang said she was trying to give tactical advice from her country.
“I’m glad I didn’t hear it, but super happy to have family here, having their eyes is extraordinary.”
Asked how he closed the game so quiet, he said:
“I think in general I just didn’t think too much, sometimes the winners come without thinking,” he said. “Against players like karen you can only have a chance to close it. If I wouldn’t be a quarrel in the third set, you never know. I’m glad I kept focus.”
