Chinese tennis is looking to the future. New talent is always required as players get older and suffer from more injuries. Shang Juncheng looks to fit the bill for China.
Shang Juncheng Chinese new star
Shang Juncheng is only 18, but already is making his mark. The Chinese star reached a career-high ranking in January. Shang reached the top 170 and is currently ranked 181.
Shang has been a frequent member of the Challenger tour. Shang consistently made quarter-finals and semi-finals on the Challenger circuit towards the end of last season. The 18-year-old made his debut in the Australian Open this season, coming through qualifying. Shang defeated Fernando Verdasco on the way to the main draw.
The youngster faces a tough start in Miami, up against Adrian Mannarino. Shang will be hoping to progress on his first year on the main tour. However, the Frenchman is never an easy game. The 34-year-old may be towards the end of his career but is not to be discounted.
Future star
Shang has youth on his side. However, the Chinese youngster is inexperienced at this level. Challenger circuit matches don’t usually have the same type of crowds as the main tour and masters events pull in. Shang will relish the challenge and will be hoping his game can hold out.
A relatively unknown Shang is hoping to reach the top of the tennis tree. Zhizhen Zhang was the first Chinese male to reach the top 100. Wang Qiang made the top 10 on the WTA side. Currently, on the WTA side youngster, Qinwen Zheng is in the top 25 and getting better as the season goes on.
Shang will want to emulate if not better this. Having been the ITF number 1 in 2021, his aspirations will be to reach the top echelons of the game. The competition is tough though. Especially as currently Spaniard Rafael Nadal has dropped out of the top 10 for the first time in a long time. This goes to show that the tennis top echelons can be hard to reach, and even harder to stay there.
Nadal is an extreme example obviously as he has been at the top of the sport for a long time. Recent injuries and lack of playing are the clear factors in his ranking drop. Even if you can make the top, it’s even harder to stay there.
Main Photo Credit: Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
