Chinese tennis player Wu Yibing made history by becoming the first Chinese man to win an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) title.
Wu, 23, beat America’s John Isner in a three-set final at the Dallas Open on Sunday.
He saved four match points against Isner before securing a 6-7(4-7), 7-6(7-3), 7-6(14-12) win.
Wu became the first male Chinese player to both reach a tour-level final in the Open Era and defeat an opponent in the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, according to ATP Tour.
Wu will rise to world No. 58 once the rankings are updated on Monday, making him the highest-ranked Chinese player in ATP history.
He expressed pride in himself and his home during the trophy ceremony.
“I made history here for my country and for my home,” he said. “I’m very proud of myself and especially thanks to all the fans and my team who came here to support. I couldn’t do this without any of you guys.”
Wu reportedly did not compete on the tour from March 2019 to January 2022 due to numerous injuries.
However, he defeated high-caliber players, including Michael Mmoh, Denis Shapovalov, Adrian Mannarino, Taylor Fritz and Isner, en route to the final.
“It’s a tough one to lose,” Isner said. “I swear I thought I won the match a few times. Sports can be brutal. He is an unbelievable ball striker and a very good talent.”
In August 2022, Wu also made headlines for becoming the first Chinese man to win a singles match at a Grand Slam event in 63 years.
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