Interview with Wu Yixiang: This year's goal, the world's top 30!
Berlin, June 16 (Xinhua) -- In an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency during the men's professional tennis players association (ATP) 250 Stuttgart Open, Wu Yixiang, a rising star in China's tennis scene, said that he believes he still has a lot of room for improvement and aims to become among the top 30 in the world this year.
Wu Yixiang lost to Hungary's Fujović Marton in the 15th match and missed the quarterfinals. After the race, he summed up his first grass-court professional race: "I can gradually adapt to the faster pace of grass racing. Grass games allow players to run more aggressively, show more aggression, it takes more willpower, and I want to do better in those areas. ”
On June 15, Wu Yixiang celebrated scoring in the second round of the men's singles match at the Stuttgart Open, Germany. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Philip Ruiz)
The last time the 23-year-old Wu played on grass was six years ago, at Wimbledon Junior Championship in 2017. "I really like grass, compared to clay, maybe grass is more suitable for my current style, more rounds with less and faster ball. Red clay requires more patience. Wu Yixiang said.
For his career planning, Wu Yixiang said frankly that there are many things in his mind, and he can't stop at all. "I was dreaming differently every night and had to find a way to stop. For example, getting better results in Grand Slam tournaments, such as staying healthy, playing more games, playing more top players. ”
Wu Yixiang, who is currently ranked 64th in the world, said that his level now has a lot of room for improvement, and this year he aims to become among the top 30 in the world.
"I learned a lot from the coaching staff in my rookie season, who would tell me in very simple terms what to do and take me to the next level. I want to get into the top 30 in the world, which is a good goal. The more matches I go through and the better opponents I face, the faster my level will improve. Wu Yixiang said.
On June 15, Wu Yixiang returned the ball in the game. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Philip Ruiz)
As the first Chinese player to win the ATP Tour singles title, Wu Yixiang believes that this year's Dallas victory not only gives him more motivation personally, but also inspires Chinese teenagers who love tennis.
"To win a race requires not only good performance, but also some luck. In the final with America's Isner, I saved four match points. "This result will have a positive impact on teenagers, especially boys." Li Na's success has led to a number of Chinese female tennis players, but we have not yet seen a male tennis player who has achieved success in Grand Slam tournaments like Li Na. ”
Wu Yixiang said: "Now I am working hard with other Chinese male tennis players to improve the world ranking, with two mainland players in the top 100 and four in the top 200. Before Zhang Zhizhen and me, we didn't have the world's top 100 continental players. This gives Chinese teenagers and parents a lot of confidence. ”
Wu said that the Dallas championship made him famous, but it did not change his life. "I'm still as eager as ever to win every game and keep doing what I'm supposed to do. There are more people in my life who recognize me, but I don't feel like a star. ”
On February 12, China's Wu Yixiang defeated America's Isner 2-1 to become the first Chinese player to win the ATP Tour singles title. Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Dallas Open/Photo by Alex Smith)
"I would watch the China Tennis Tour and a lot of young players stood out. We didn't have many matches to play during the pandemic, and now there are matches for players of all ages. Some of my teammates who used to play with me became coaches and helped more teenagers improve. This is not only to discover and train professional players, but also to expand the mass base of the sport. Wu Yixiang said.
He believes that China's tennis environment will become better and better, and its position in the world will become more and more important. "I contribute to Chinese tennis in my own way, which is to win more matches and improve the world ranking. With good results, tennis can get more support. I play well, not only for myself and my family, but also to attract more teenagers to participate and enjoy the sport. ”
Wu Yixiang likes to play video games and read books in his spare time. "I recently read the biography of South Korean football star Son Heung-min. I think he's the best Asian player at this stage. He had a very demanding father, I had a very strict mother, and we were both born into families that were not very wealthy, and we were quite similar in that regard. ”