The Shanghai New Year Cup went wild, with Barty defeating Wang Qiang sparking nostalgic memories, and senior players Del Potro and Tsonga also making appearances.

Today marked the official start of the 2026 Shanghai New Year Cup Tennis Legends Exhibition at Shanghai Gymnasium. The roster includes six tennis legends—senior player Del Potro, Tsonga, Feliciano López, Barty, Wang Qiang, and Li Zhe—alongside eight popular tennis enthusiasts, drawing significant fan interest.

In today’s women's singles exhibition match, the "Pegasus Team" led by Barty faced off against the "Divine Horse Team" featuring Wang Qiang. Although the atmosphere was relaxed, the match was highly competitive. Against Chinese star Wang Qiang, Barty triumphed in the decisive tiebreak battle.

However, what fans talked about even more than the victory was the match point moment. Holding match point, Barty, with her distinct Australian laid-back tone, seemed to mutter or even "predict": "I’m going to serve wide." Then she unleashed a blazing 175 km/h serve precisely to the wide corner. Wang Qiang couldn’t react in time, and the match point was sealed! This moment instantly electrified the crowd.

This scene was humorously dubbed by netizens as the playful moment of "Erwa’s mom." Even as a mother, Barty maintained her mischievous genius on the court. Through this, she showed everyone that the former world No.1 is not only a "tactical master" but also an honest player who delivers on her words, albeit with a cheeky smile that leaves opponents amused and helpless.

After the match, a hot topic sparked lively debate among fans: "If Barty hadn’t retired, would the current women’s tennis throne still be a ‘duet’ between Sabalenka and Swiatek?"

It’s worth noting that Barty holds a perfect winning record against one of today’s top female players, Swiatek; against another powerhouse, Sabalenka, their head-to-head is evenly matched. Fans can’t help but imagine that with Barty’s fluid slices and impeccable service games, even in today’s era dominated by power tennis, she would still be the most capable player to ‘solve the puzzle.’

Of course, today’s New Year Cup was not just Barty’s solo show. As a major sporting event for Shanghai’s Spring Festival, the Shanghai Gymnasium was shining with star power.

The "senior brother" Del Potro, whose thunderous forehand once intimidated Federer, still delivered booming shots. Representing the Pegasus Team, he partnered with Keli in mixed doubles against Tsonga and Zhang Jiale, and faced Tsonga in a singles "power tennis" showdown. Meanwhile, the "French Ali" Tsonga’s powerful serves remained formidable. In both men’s and mixed doubles, these tennis legends showcased exquisite skills and engaged in entertaining interactions, filling the Shanghai Gymnasium with joyful New Year cheer.

Many fans were surprised by Del Potro’s weight gain, but some quickly explained, "After retiring, Del Potro had knee surgery that didn’t go well. Over the following years, he took many hormone-containing medications, which affected his body. So don’t be shocked to see him gain weight!"

Additionally, today’s matches were not only a stage for international stars but also a home ground for Chinese veterans. Li Zhe, the "National Games Grand Slam" champion, fiercely defended every point against these Grand Slam-level opponents, earning rounds of applause from the audience. In the men’s singles, Li Zhe faced tennis influencer Dong Bohua in a "Chinese derby," a dialogue between two generations of Chinese tennis that showcased the sport’s heritage to the crowd.

Furthermore, this year’s New Year Cup introduced an unprecedented move—allowing spectators to freely take photos and even livestream exciting moments from the court.

"Usually, except for authorized broadcasters, others are not allowed to livestream matches," said Zhang Jiyue, Senior Planner at Jiushi Event Marketing Center. "The New Year Cup aims to rebuild the connection between the event and the audience, letting every spectator become a node in spreading the event, sharing exciting moments live with friends and family. This is a local event made for citizens, centered on spreading New Year joy, so why not let everyone share the highlights themselves?"

At the same time, a theatrical light and sound system transformed the stadium into an immersive tennis stage, and mobile stands brought the audience closer to the court, ensuring excellent views from every seat.

In the coming days, the New Year Cup Legends Exhibition will continue with more thrilling matches. International stars like Del Potro, Tsonga, and López will compete with Chinese veterans and influencers for the final points.

The most anticipated event is the "One Ball Victory" segment on February 21, where all fourteen players will compete in a sudden-death format—one ball decides the winner! This could be the biggest wildcard and the most exciting moment of the entire event.

Meanwhile, the champion of the 2026 One Ball Victory Tennis Grand Prix will be announced tomorrow, with the lucky winner taking home a 1 million prize, fulfilling their New Year competition dream.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)