#NextGenATP Chinese sets meeting with Nakashima at ATP 250

It has been a testing 2025 so far for Shang Juncheng, but the #NextGenATP star did not disappoint upon returning to action in front of his home fans at the Chengdu Open.

The 20-year-old Shang held off Zizou Bergs for a 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 victory on Wednesday at the ATP 250 where he lifted the trophy a year ago. Shang, who did not compete from January until late July due to a foot injury on which he underwent surgery in March, dug deep to hold off the World No. 46 Bergs and register his first match win since his return to action.

The lefty saved six of seven break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats, during a gutsy performance in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Bergs. When a break up in the third set, Shang crucially rallied from 0/40 to hold serve for 5-3, and he held to love in his next service game to clinch his triumph.

At the venue where he became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour title on home soil a year ago, Shang did not show much visible emotion upon closing out his win nor while embracing Bergs at the net. Yet he later wore a beaming smile throughout the on-court interview that followed his hard-earned win.

A competitor at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, Shang remains 18th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, although he could rise as high as eighth by successfully defending his Chengdu crown. His next test at the hard-court event in Sichuan province is a second-round meeting with fourth seed Brandon Nakashima.

Another Chinese #NextGenATP wild card, Zhou Yi, also enjoyed a memorable start to his Chengdu campaign by upsetting World No. 34 Cameron Norrie. The 20-year-old Zhou saved a match point when serving at 4-5, 30/40 in the third set before prevailing 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(2) for the biggest win his career by PIF ATP Ranking. His next opponent will be Christopher O’Connell, after the Australian downed Quentin Halys 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4.

Marcos Giron also secured a second-round spots on Day 1 in Chengdu. Giron eased past his fellow American Ethan Quinn 7-5, 6-4 and will next face eighth seed Lorenzo Sonego or Juan Manuel Cerundolo.