All Chinese players were eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the Shanghai Masters.

While the men's singles at the China Open entered the semifinals today, yesterday marked the conclusion of the first round of the Shanghai Masters qualifiers, where all five wildcard entrants from mainland China were eliminated in the opening round without winning a single set:

❌Sun Fajing 5-7/3-6 Mayo

❌Cui Jie 3-6/5-7 Tabillo

❌Terigele 4-6/3-6 Brownsey

❌Xiao Linang 4-6/1-6 Spizziri

❌Liu Hanyi 6-7(3)/2-6 Mien Kanyosuke

Sun Fajing fought hard but lost to French player Mayo, Cui Jie was defeated by Chilean Tabillo, and Terigele, Xiao Linang, and Liu Hanyi also fell one after another... All five mainland Chinese participants were stopped at the first round without exception.

This familiar scene strongly resembles countless moments in our memories when we sighed over Chinese men's tennis. We have witnessed the brilliance of female stars like Li Na, Zheng Jie, and Zheng Qinwen on the global tennis stage, and repeatedly hoped for a breakthrough for Chinese men's tennis. However, from challenger events to tour tournaments and Masters, the path to breakthrough remains extremely challenging.

This is the harsh reality. It clearly measures the gap between us and the world’s top level. Perhaps it is a lack of experience in crucial points, perhaps a slight deficiency in consistency during rallies, or maybe a gap in the raw strength of serve and return. The elite of professional tennis face unbelievably fierce competition, where every point demands sweat and talent. The first round of qualifiers, the outermost gate of this grand arena, is already filled with top-level players, leaving no room to spare.

However, we should not only focus on the losses, but also recognize the players who lost and every step they took in their fight.

Sun Fajing’s struggle, Cui Jie’s effort, and every stroke by Terigele, Xiao Linang, and Liu Hanyi represent the growth rings of Chinese men’s tennis. Failure is a necessary lesson for growth. It is through these matches against high-level opponents that they truly perceive the gaps, refine their skills, and strengthen their mindset. Today’s complete defeat is the accumulation of strength for tomorrow’s victory; today’s first-round qualifier is the foundation for future stable main-draw appearances.

The rise of Chinese men’s tennis is not an overnight achievement. It requires the continuous efforts of one or even several generations of players, a more scientific training system, a more complete competition platform, and a more open competitive environment. We are on this journey: Wu Yibing and Shang Juncheng have brought surprises, and Zhang Zhizhen, Bu Yunchaokete, and others continue to break through. Their existence proves that although the road is tough, it is not impassable.

Let us offer more tolerance and encouragement to these players fighting on the court. They carry expectations and bear pressure, exploring possibilities on a path full of thorns for us.

Believe that one day, in ATP match reports, Chinese players’ names will no longer be marked only with ❌, but will start to appear with ✅, even a series of consecutive ✅ representing winning streaks. That will be the moment we have long awaited. It will mean that Chinese men’s tennis has passed through its longest night and welcomed the dawn of a new era.We look forward to that day. We believe that day will surely come. And every loss today is an essential, weighty cornerstone leading to future victories.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Mei)