ATP roundup: Two Chinese men chasing historic titles

Field Level Media|published: Mon 23rd September, 10:47 2024

Aug 30, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Juncheng Shang (CHN) hits a backhand against Casper Ruud (NOR)(not pictured) in a men's singles match on day five of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Chinese teenager Juncheng Shang surged into the Chengdu Open final with a 6-4, 6-4 victory on Monday against Yannick Hanfmann of Germany.

Seeking his first tour title with the backing of his home-country fans, the 19-year-old Shang will face top-seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy for the championship.

The left-handed Shang never faced a break point and withstood 12 aces by Hanfmann in his 89-minute victory. In the other semifinal, Musetti saved all three break points he faced in a 6-4, 6-2 victory over unseeded Russian Alibek Kachmazov.

Hangzhou Open

Sixth-seeded Zhizhen Zhang advanced to his first ATP Tour final with a 7-6 (3), 6-4 defeat of Yunchaokete Bu in an all-Chinese match on home soil.

Zhang struck 10 aces and saved all four break points he faced to win in one hour and 40 minutes. He is just the third Chinese man to reach a tour-level championship match, joining 2023 Dallas champion Yibing Wu and current Chengdu finalist Juncheng Shang.

Zhang will take on unseeded Marin Cilic of Croatia, a 6-4, 7-6 (6) winner against No. 4 seed Brandon Nakashima. Cilic is seeking his 21st ATP Tour singles title after finishing with twice as many winners as Nakashima, 30-15.

--Field Level Media