On the afternoon of January 6th, Beijing time, the Hong Kong Open Tennis Championships, the men's singles semifinals, a key battle, Shang Juncheng played against Rublev, and in the end, Shang Juncheng lost to Rublev 1-2 in three sets and stopped in the top 4, but this result has created history, and it is his best personal record so far, and he has done his best!
Shang Juncheng is a post-00 talent in China, and this time he participated as a wild card player, and after defeating Jerre, Van der Sanschurp, and Tiafoe, he advanced to the top 4 of the tour for the first time in his career, and once again achieved a big breakthrough. Judging from the previous rounds, Shang Juncheng is all on the following list, especially Tiafoe, who is a TOP20 (ranked 16th in the world) player, and this is the first time that Shang Juncheng has beaten the TOP20. Rublev is ranked 5th in the world, and since 2020, Rublev's ranking has been relatively stable, holding 2 Masters titles and 12 tour titles, and he is a leader of the post-95 generation, with strong forehand ability. This is the first time that the two have met in their careers, and the team is Juncheng, the opponent's strength is stronger and more difficult, can there be a miracle?
In the first set, Shang Juncheng broke the belt and took a 2-0 lead. In the third game, Rublev scored four straight points to hold serve. In the 7th game, Rublev saved 4 break points and then held serve with difficulty, and in the 8th game, Shang Juncheng also saved break points to hold serve 5-3. In the 10th game, Shang Juncheng saved the break point again and cashed in the service game to win the set, taking the next game 6-4 and leading Rublev 1-0.
In the second set, in the first game, Rublev saved a break point to hold serve 1-0. In the second game, Rublev broke serve with difficulty to make it 2-0. In the third game, Rublev saved another break point to hold serve 3-0. In the 4th game, Shang Juncheng successfully held serve to stop the decline 1-3. In the fifth game, Rublev scored four straight points to hold serve 4-1. In the 6th game, Shang Juncheng successfully held serve 2-4. In the 8th game, Rublev broke 6-2 and the score was 1-1.
In the deciding set, Rublev saved a break point to hold serve 1-0, and then the two entered a hold battle. In the eighth game, Rublev broke serve, and then cashed in to win the game, 6-3, and the big score was 2-1.