Wu Yibing delivered his home crowd one night to remember on Sunday in the Lynk & Co Hangzhou open, where he moaned back from the edge to Stun Daniil Medvedev 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
The resident of Hangzhou followed a set and a break before he clawed back in the game and produced a difficult ball that stood out in the last set to reach his first semifinal since his 2023 run in Dallas, where he became the first Chinese man who won an ATP tour title. He is waiting for Lucky Loser Dalibor SVRCina or third seed Alexander Bublik.
Despite the beating of 17 Azen during their three-hour, 11 minutes of collision, Medvedev had two crucial double mistakes when trying to serve the match at 5-4 in the second set and Wu a way back to the game. The former Nitto ATP Finals champion, who participated in his first tournament since she said goodbye to his eight -year -old coach, Gilles Cervara, is 22nd in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin.
“I was lucky in the second set, but I gave it my best,” said Wu, who achieved his first Lexus ATP Head2head victory on Medvedev (1-2). “It is clear that the crowd supported me at home. Daniil is one of the most difficult guys to play on tour, especially with my style. He is really hard to beat and I had to take my best tennis with me to stay in the competition. I am glad I brought it today.”
WU did not compete from March 2019 to January 2022 due to various injuries, including problems with his elbow, which required surgery, his lower back, shoulder and wrist. Although he won an ATP Challenger Tour event in Tyler in June, the 25-year-old competes in just his fourth event at the tour level of the season.
“It means everything, especially at home. It has been a long years behind me. I have overcome many injuries,” said Wu. “It’s not easy to be here, especially winning three games in a row. Hopefully I can’t come back with me tomorrow.”
In other quarter-final action in Hangzhou, Valentin Royer supported his statement victory on top seeds Andrey Rublev by student ten 7-6 (0), 4-6, 6-2 to survive his MAIDEN ATP Tour Semi-final. With a break on a break in the last set, the 24-year-old Frenchman found a late spark and converted all three of his breaking points, according to Infosys ATP statistics, to seal his two-hour victory of 38 minutes.
“I am so happy … the crowd was with me. You like me, I like you, we have a connection,” said Royer in his interview on the field before they thanked the crowd in Chinese for their support. “In the second set he didn’t miss a single ball, and in the third set I was another break … I just didn’t know how I managed to win, I am so happy.”
Prior to his debut campaign in Hangzhou, Royer had never earned consecutive victories at tour level. But with his impressive show about three main-draw competitions, he is five places on a career-high no. 83 in the PIF ATP Live ranking.
Royer set up an all-French semi-final with fourth seed Corentin Moutet, which improved lunchtime on Sunday after Tomas Martin Etcheverry was forced to retire. Moutet dropped the opening set 3-6, but led 3-0 in the second when the Argentinian-visible wrestling struggle with retirement.
Just like Royer, Moutet is another player who participates in a career high in the PIF ATP ranking this week. The 26-year-old, who saved two match points in his second round victory over Arthur Cazaux, is in his personal best third semifinal of the season and has raised two places to No. 37 in the PIF ATP Live rankings.
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