China's tennis players make leap forward in 2023

With uprising stars Zhang Zhizhen and Zheng Qinwen leading the way, a batch of tennis players from China have made breakthroughs in the 2023 season and helped the country emerge as a new force in the world of tennis.

A relatively late bloomer, Zhang became the first man from the Chinese mainland to crack the top 100 in ATP world rankings in the 2022 season.

The 27-year-old showed no sign of stopping in 2023, setting a number of "firsts" in the sport for China.

"I have experienced ups and downs in the 2023 season. Probably due to my breakthrough in 2022, I have greater expectations for this season. I was not at my best at the start of the season, but then I found my way out and fortunately all the efforts paid off," Zhang said on social media in November.

Zhang became the first man from the Chinese mainland to reach the quarterfinals of the ATP 1000 tournament at this year's Madrid Open. He also reached last 32 in both French Open and US Open.

He reached another milestone in career during this year's US Open by defeating the world's fifth-ranked Casper Ruud of Norway in the second round.

The win was the first over a top-5 player recorded by a Chinese mainland male player.

Zhang then put the icing on the cake in late September, winning his first Asiad gold in men's singles at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

It was the first men's singles gold medal for China at the Asiad in nearly three decades, following Pan Bing's victories in the event in the 1990 and 1994 editions of the Games.

In July, Zhang rose to No. 52 in the world rankings, the highest position ever held by a Chinese mainland male player. He finished 58th in the year-end rankings.

"Many surprises and much gratitude in 2023. I will work harder in winter training and get prepared for next year," Zhang said.

An aggressive player with a big serve, Zhang is part of a talented Chinese trio, which also includes Wu Yibing and Shang Juncheng.

In spite of a series of injuries in the second half of the season, 24-year-old Wu should be content with his overall performance, after becoming the first Chinese mainland player to lift an ATP Tour trophy with his victory at the Dallas Open in February, and reaching his career-high ranking of world No. 54 in May.

"It's not only about winning the title," Wu said of his Dallas win. "It's more about me personally making history, also for the country. It's huge for the next generation."

"Winning a tournament greatly impacts young Chinese boys, I guess. We might have a promising young generation of players in China, but they are mainly girls inspired by Li Na," added Wu, whose ranking has slipped to 121st due to injuries.

China's tennis has long been dominated by women, with two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na becoming the country's first major winner at Roland Garros in 2011.

Chinese men have long lagged behind, with slow progress made over the past years. At the 2013 Australian Open, Wu Di became the first man from the Chinese mainland to play in a major tournament in the Open era.

It took nearly another decade for a Chinese mainland male player to claim a main draw win, with Wu Yibing battling all the way to the third round at last year's US Open.

Things are beginning to change in recent seasons as Chinese male players break through the belief barrier and achieve what many thought impossible.

With Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing blazing the trail, it might not be too long before others follow.

Shang, once the world's top-ranked junior, is the youngest of the trio, and the teenager is ready to build on the achievements of his elder colleagues.

Shang qualified for this year's Australian Open and joined Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing in the main draw. This marked the first time in the Open era that three Chinese mainland men had contested a Grand Slam singles main draw.

"Those two guys, they are definitely my inspiration," admitted 18-year-old Shang. "They've been on tour longer than me and are way more experienced than me."

But Shang has bettered both of his elder compatriots in reaching another major milestone, as he became the first Chinese mainland player to win a match in the Australian Open men's singles main draw in the Open era.

"I think it's definitely a really cool thing for me," Shang said of the current hype surrounding China's men's tennis. "I think it's a good pressure to have for me, and it's obviously a lot of motivation for me to push through and do better every day."

Unlike their male counterparts, China's young women's players already made their name in major events, and continued their momentum this year.

China's highest-ranked female player Zheng Qinwen advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 US Open after defeating last year's runner-up Ons Jabeur, marking a significant breakthrough by reaching the final eight of a Grand Slam event for the first time, and the in-form performance earned her the nickname "Queen Wen".

"I love it, it sounds powerful, rhymes with my name and really suits me," said Zheng, currently ranked No. 15 in the world.

Zheng also won the Asian Games women's singles gold medal and her first WTA Tour title in Palermo, Italy in July.

There are now a total of seven players from the Chinese mainland among the top 100 of the WTA rankings.

"Li Na has sown the seeds of tennis into the hearts of children. Her career inspired young players like me to be as good and tough as her," Zheng said.

"The Chinese players have been devoting themselves to professional tennis for over 20 years, and we support and inspire each other. As a result, we are able to practice harder in the training and pull through on the court," she added.