Wu Yibing is back! Chinese star wins Challenger title in second outing of year

Wu Yibing capped a dream comeback week Saturday when he was crowned champion at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Jinan, China.

Playing in just his second tournament since last year’s US Open and first since the ATP 250 in Houston more than four months ago, Wu built upon his level each match.

He began the week down 0-4 to Stefanos Sakellaridis in the first round, but the home favourite found greater consistency to eventually claim his fifth ATP Challenger Tour title. The 24-year-old defeated Japan’s Rio Noguchi 7-5, 6-3 in the 2024 Jinan Open final.

“That was my goal before coming here,” the wild card Wu said of winning the trophy. “I have high expectations of myself and also my team, we all work hard for it. It’s been more than [four] months since my last tournament. We all gave our best, tried to do everything the correct way and I think I deserved to win this tournament.

“I feel happy. It’s the first step of coming back. And hopefully more to come.”

What it means 🫶#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/UT4b5AR7BR

In 2023, Wu became China’s first ATP Tour titlist when he won the Dallas Open. He ascended to a career-high No. 54 in the PIF ATP Rankings a few months later. But injuries have since hindered the Hangzhou native. Wu looks forward to continuing his return during the Asian hard-court swing./p>

“Hopefully the more I play and the more rhythm I get, I can play my top level, which hopefully comes soon,” said Wu.

In other Challenger action, Argentine Juan Bautista Torres captured his second title at that level at the IZIDA Cup in Dobrich, Bulgaria. The 22-year-old rallied past Ivan Gakhov 5-7, 6-0, 7-5 in a two-hour, 27-minute title match. 

The Buenos Aires native earned a decisive break at 5-5 in the final set before closing out the championship on his serve. Torres, who won his first Challenger title in June 2022 in Troyes, needed a deciding set in three of his five matches on the Bulgarian clay.

Did You Know?
Former Top 5 stars Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic will be competing this upcoming week on the ATP Challenger Tour. Nishikori is playing in Como, Italy, where main-draw action begins 26 August. Cilic makes his return from injury at the Manacor Challenger, held at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar. Main draw begins 27 August.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]