Chinanews.com, Beijing, February 13th (Liu Xingchen) In the early morning of the 13th Beijing time, the final of the ATP250 Tournament in Dallas came to an end.

Facing the famous American player Isner, who ranked much higher than himself, Chinese player Wu Yibing defeated his opponent 2:1 in three rounds and won the tour championship for the first time in his career.

According to ATP statistics, this is the first time a Chinese male player has won the ATP Tour Championship!

Image source: ATP Tour Official Weibo

　　After the previous semi-finals, Wu Yibing became the first male player from mainland China to break into the ATP Tour finals in history, rewriting many history in the first battle.

　　"Every step I take is a new step for Chinese tennis. I hope that I can make more contributions to Chinese tennis step by step, down-to-earth." His words after the game expressed the aspirations of the young generation of Chinese tennis.

　　Today, Wu Yibing, who has become the champion of the tour, has stepped up to another level.

　　Perhaps before today, the name "Wu Yibing" was still a little strange to many people.

Bing, which means the light of the sun and the moon.

As far as China Men's Net is concerned, it can be understood as hope and future.

Pursuing the inner star, the young man traveled all the way, flying across mountains and seas.

1869 → "Top 100" players

　　At the beginning of 2023, Wu Yibing was on fire.

　　At the ATP Challenger in Cleveland in early February, he entered the top 100 of the ATP rankings for the first time with his runner-up points.

Less than 4 months after another Chinese player Zhang Zhizhen became a "Top 100" player, Wu Yibing also unlocked this achievement.

　　"It's something I've wanted to achieve since I was a kid, but for me it's just the beginning."

　　Coming to Dallas, Wu Yibing defeated Mom, Shapovalov, and Manarino successively, making it to the semi-finals for the first time in his career.

The last time a male player from mainland China reached the semi-finals of a tourney was back in 1995.

　　The 28-year-old record of Chinese men's tennis was awakened.

Image source: US Open Weibo

　　In the semi-finals, Wu Yibing challenged Fritz, who is ranked eighth in the world, and he resolved all 9 break points of his opponent.

"Facing the top ten players to save all 9 break points, it may be more difficult than winning the game." From Wu Yibing's emotion after the game, it is not difficult to feel the gold content of this victory.

　　In the final match, facing the powerful server Isner, Wu Yibing withstood the tremendous pressure, and the opponent fired as many as 44 ACE balls in the audience.

The game situation was stalemate, and all three contests entered the tiebreaker.

In the tiebreaker of the final set, Wu Yibing won the game after resolving four match points.

　　In April last year, Wu Yibing, who was plagued by injuries, once fell to 1869 in the world ranking.

At the beginning of the zodiac year, Wu Yibing ranked among the "TOP100".

　　It took him less than a year to achieve the leap.

Data map: Wu Yibing when he was young.

Photo by Yin Liqin

Stepping over the thorns, longing to soar

　　It was quite a surprise that Wu Yibing became attached to tennis.

When he was in kindergarten, he was overweight.

During the weight loss process, Wu Yibing chose the latter with a lower net between badminton and tennis.

　　From then on, he slowly fell in love with the sport.

　　In 2007, Wu Yibing was 8 years old, and he was admitted by the Zhejiang Provincial Team for his outstanding performance.

Wu Yibing's father practiced boxing, and his excellent sports genes allowed him to realize his tennis talent faster than his peers.

　　In the 2017 US Open youth competition, he won the men's singles and men's doubles championships.

Wu Yibing's amazing performance in his youth brought hope to the Chinese men's tennis team in the quagmire.

　　At the end of that year, he turned to professional tennis.

However, what awaits this talented boy is a cruel coming-of-age ceremony, "I also understand that after that, there will be a harsher adult world."

Data map: Wu Yibing in the game

　　After helping the Chinese team win the men's singles silver medal in the Jakarta Asian Games, Wu Yibing's condition plummeted, and he suffered a round trip in many events.

Injury, surgery, and a long recovery period, Wu Yibing "disappeared" in the international arena for a long time after that.

　　That period of time was perhaps the most difficult moment in his life so far.

But the love in his heart made Wu Yibing survive the difficult days.

"Tennis is something I want to enjoy."

　　In life, Wu Yibing likes to read books and listen to Jay Chou's songs.

Optimistic and cheerful nature supported him to swallow injuries and doubts alone, and start all over again with firm belief.

　　In 2022, Wu Yibing entered his fifth year in professional tennis.

Before the start of that season, Wu Yibing's world ranking dropped to 1749th. The goal he set for himself was to play a full season in good health.

Data map: Wu Yibing in the game

　　The US Open is where Wu Yibing's dream began.

　　In the first round of the 2022 US Open men's singles, Wu Yibing defeated Georgian star Bashilashvili and became the first Chinese men's singles player to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era.

　　"I saw a butterfly flying over the ruins." After the game, Wu Yibing wrote such a sentence on his personal social media.

　　Winning again in the second round, Wu Yibing celebrated on his knees, continuing to refresh the history of Chinese men's tennis.

　　After the struggle, the young man returned, broke out of the cocoon and became a butterfly.

Data map: Wu Yibing in the game

　　two small goals

　　"I hope I can enter the top 30 this year." This is the goal Wu Yibing has set for himself.

After becoming the ATP Tour champion, his world ranking is expected to make another leap.

　　This autumn, the Hangzhou Asian Games will be held soon, and Wu Yibing, who is fighting at home, does not want to let the gold medal fall by the wayside.

"I am a Hangzhou boy born and bred, and I want to get the gold medal back at home."

　　Step by step, grow upward.

In the face of hardships, Wu Yibing became more frustrated and courageous, which is what China Men's Tennis needs most.

　　"I want to climb up step by step, waiting for the sun to look at its face quietly. The little sky has big dreams, wrapped in a heavy shell and looking up gently." The lyrics in Jay Chou's "Snail" are used to describe Wu Yibing couldn't be more apt.

　　The future is like the sea, and the future is long.

The young man put his bags on his back and set sail again.

(over)