History: Yibing Wu, with strong nerves during three decisive games against gender specialist John Isner, became the first Chinese to win an event on the men’s professional circuit, Sunday in Dallas, after his victory 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (14/12) over American John Isner. Wu, 23, had already made history the day before, also being the first representative of his country to reach a final, beating favorite Taylor Fritz, 8th in the world, his first success against a member of the top 10.
The Chinese, who will rise from 97th to 58th place in the world on Monday, resisted the pressure all the better for his big first at this stage, as he faced in Isner a very experienced player, big server and specialist in tie- breaks, to the point of being a record holder in this field. The 37-year-old American has indeed become in the week the first to achieve what no one has been able to do since 1968 and the beginning of the Open era: pass the bar of 500 decisive games won.
So, with his first bullet for lethal weapon, since he is, from the height of his 2.08 m, also holder of the record for the most aces slammed, the 39th in the world won the first set, remaining solid on his engagement.
44 aces for nothing
He still had to save a break point at 6-5, which was also set point, before breaking away in the decisive game, concluded on his 17th ace. It’s a very similar scenario that happened in the second round, but with a different outcome. Isner had a break point, which was also match point at 6-5, but Wu erased it and was aggressive enough in the tie-break to equalize.
Unsurprisingly, the third set was still played in the decisive game. And the suspense was total, because Wu was able to erase three other match points, to conclude on his fifth after yet another unforced error from his opponent. Isner will be able to ask himself the question of knowing how can one lose a match by having achieved 44 aces (!). Wu, he can congratulate himself for having believed in his tennis, very solid in the exchange and full of nerve.
He has undoubtedly just had the best week of his young career, having beaten other players much better ranked than him, the Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the round of 16, Adrian Mannarino in the quarters.
The Chinese pioneers
2023 therefore sees the emergence of a player who has long struggled to confirm the promises seen in juniors, after his title in singles and doubles at the US Open in 2017 in this age category. Last year, he was still 1869th in the ATP rankings, after his professional debut weighed down by numerous injuries between 2019 and 2021. If, before him, China had not known a talent likely to make a name for himself on On the men’s circuit, this is not the case on the WTA women’s circuit since ten players have already won titles, the most famous of them being Li Na with her nine victories, including two Grand Slams (Roland-Garros 2011 and Australian Open 2014).
More recently, it is outside the tennis courts that China has made headlines with the Peng Shuai case. The now-retired Wimbledon and Roland-Garros doubles winner disappeared for nearly three weeks in 2021 after accusing ex-vice prime minister Zhang Gaoli, 40 years her senior, of having sex. forced” during a relationship that lasted several years.
This led the WTA to give up organizing since its tournaments in this country despite enormous financial stakes. Position that the body intends to maintain as long as it does not have the opportunity to speak “in private” with Peng Shuai, she informed the Chinese authorities in January.