On January 3, the ATP 250 level Hong Kong Open entered the second round of competition, and the Chinese men's tennis newcomer Shang Juncheng defeated the famous Jerret in three sets in the first round, and this time fought hard for more than three and a half hours, and finally defeated the Dutch good Van der Shanschupp 2-1 after three tie-breaks. In addition to showing a fiery hand and tenacious fighting spirit, Shang Juncheng also has a new feeling in terms of physical fitness.
Chinese teenager Shang Juncheng's performance in the 2023 season has been up and down. After improving on the Australian Open season at the start of the year, his confidence soared along with the world rankings. However, he was then dragged down by injuries, and Xiao Shang was forced to stay away from the court to concentrate on recuperation, and after his comeback, he suffered from physical problems, cramping many times in the Chinese season, and was unable to cope with the physical demands of a three-set match. By the end of the season, he hadn't improved much in the world rankings.
The new season of small businessmen appeared in Hong Kong, giving people an intuitive feeling that they have lost a lot of weight. Xiaoshang revealed that his weight dropped by four to five kilograms, and his weight dropped from 78 kilograms last year to 73 kilograms, who is 1.83 meters tall. This is a far cry from the previous approach to weight and muscle strength through physical training. Xiao Shang explained that his thinking has changed, and he can't be a power player, so he might as well lose weight and strengthen his mobility and agility to the extreme. "There are a lot of big players on the tour who can rely on strength and muscle to win. I can't be them, so I might as well play to my more flexible strengths, and I think that should be the right direction. He said.
In this Hong Kong Open, he faced the world's top 50 players in two consecutive games, won two consecutive games in three sets, and two consecutive games were reversals after losing one set. Compared to his performance of continuous cramps in the Chinese season two or three months ago, Xiao Shang has transformed into a "physical superman".
After the game, Shang Juncheng admitted that although he was very tired, he was very happy, he said: "Being able to win the game makes me more confident in my playing style and physical fitness." My previous problem was that I couldn't make it to the end of the three-hour three-set match, and obviously losing weight helped me win the long set. I was very relaxed during the game, and I was interacting with my team and joking around on the field. The whole game, my starting point was to enjoy the game and enjoy every point. Because the opponents are very strong, my goal is to play the best game. Also tell yourself not to be angry and not to complain. I know we all have negative emotions, but the fewer such emotions the better. ”
After back-to-back victories in Hong Kong, Shang reached the quarterfinals of his first career on the ATP Tour, where he will next face American up-and-comer Tiafoe. The two have fought twice before, and the small merchant has not been able to win. "After back-to-back victories, I have more self-confidence. Next against Tiafoe, I'll be ready for him. Tiafoe is a very consistent top 20 player in the world and I don't have too much pressure and I don't come on with other ideas, just enjoy the game. Shang Juncheng said.
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Chu Peng
Editor/Xu Zhao