Chengdu (China), Sep 25 (IANS): Chinese tennis prodigy Shang Juncheng made history at the ATP Chengdu Open on Tuesday, defeating top-seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy 7-6(4), 6-1 to claim his first ATP tour championship.
After the match, Shang expressed his excitement about winning his first title on home soil. "This night is amazing," the 19-year-old said. "Thank you all for your support. See you next year!"
Shang, a rising star, was the US Open Juniors runner-up in 2021 and made his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open in 2023.
At the Chengdu Open, he defeated former world number four Kei Nishikori, last year's runner-up Aslan Karatsev, and second seed Andrey Rublev before facing Musetti, reports Xinhua.
Musetti, ranked 18th in the world, reached the semifinals of the Chengdu Open last year and won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
In the doubles event, the French pair of Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul successfully defended their title, making them the first duo to achieve this at the Chengdu Open.