Wu Yibing: A Spiraling Journey in Tennis

Under the afternoon sun at the Washington courts, Wu Yibing clenched his fists, his roar piercing the air. Just hours earlier, he had staged a stunning comeback from 1-3 down in the deciding set of the qualifiers, defeating the top seed, Moutet, who is ranked 62nd in the world. At this moment, one of China's prominent male tennis figures stood on the ATP 500 main stage in Washington, delivering a shocking performance that overwhelmed the experienced French player, Monfils, securing a triumphant start. This victory was highly significant—it ensured Wu Yibing’s entry into the US Open qualifiers, propelling his ranking up by seven spots. When the final ball landed, his real-time points just crossed the qualifying line. Just last week at the Los Cabos tournament in Mexico, he fell short of this goal by a mere 13 points.

Wu Yibing's journey in Washington was filled with drama; he initially entered as a substitute for the qualifiers, stepping onto the court only because a regular player withdrew. The first round of the qualifiers was a do-or-die match, where he hit two aces to force a tiebreak and ultimately clinched victory with a match-ending ace.

The true test came in the final round. Facing the French star Moutet, who had recently defeated a Top 20 player during the clay season, Wu Yibing lost two service games at the start of the first set, falling behind 0-3. Just when everyone thought the match was slipping away, he displayed incredible resilience. In the second set, trailing 3-4, Wu suddenly erupted; he broke serve in the eighth game with an aggressive return and then leveled the score by winning two points after a 30-30 tie in the tenth game. Statistics showed he won all nine points at the net in that set, demonstrating a sharp increase in tactical execution. In the seventh game of the deciding set, Wu missed a high volley at the net and was broken. But just three minutes later, he broke back in the eighth game with two passing shots. The tenth game turned into a grueling eight-minute battle, where after missing four match points, he finally forced his opponent’s forehand out on the fifth match point. This exhausting 2-hour and 47-minute contest witnessed his remarkable return from the brink.

Wu Yibing’s tennis career is marked by dramatic twists. In 2017, at just 17 years old, he lifted the US Open junior singles and doubles trophies in Flushing Meadows, achieving overnight fame. However, the harsh realities of professional tennis quickly brought this talented youth back down to earth. As people anticipated his rise, the shadow of injuries loomed for the first time. By the end of 2017, Wu Yibing withdrew from the China Tennis Grand Prix and the Asia-Pacific wildcard tournament for the 2018 Australian Open due to shoulder injuries. At that time, American tennis legend Michael Chang astutely noted, “The most crucial thing when transitioning from junior to professional is to prevent injuries.”

Just as the public began to forget his name, Wu Yibing erupted at the 2022 US Open. Not only did he secure the first main draw victory for a male player from mainland China in Grand Slam history, but he also advanced to the third round, making history. In early 2023, he claimed the first ATP Tour singles title for a male player from mainland China in Dallas, reaching the peak of his career.

However, after reaching the peak, the curse of injuries returned. In March 2023, at the Miami Masters, Wu Yibing played injured with injections in his left wrist and shoulder, ultimately losing to Schwartzman; after the Houston clay tournament in April 2024, recurring injuries forced him to retreat for over four months. Following a brief comeback with a title at the Jinan Challenger in August last year, he withdrew again in the first round of the Hangzhou Open in September due to injury. At that time, the hometown crowd witnessed the pain in his eyes—after calling for a medical timeout just three games into the first set, Wu Yibing, who managed to finish one set, ultimately had to retire.

Wu Yibing’s struggles with injuries are not unique among East Asian male tennis players; the career trajectory of Japanese star Kei Nishikori serves as a cautionary tale. The 2014 US Open runner-up, who reached a career-high ranking of fourth in the world, has also suffered greatly from injuries. In 2017, during practice before the Cincinnati Masters, he suffered a tendon tear in his wrist, which led to a season-ending injury and caused him to miss the US Open. In 2022, due to a chain reaction from hip surgery, Nishikori was unable to compete for a year, resulting in his ATP points being wiped out and disappearing from the rankings entirely. “Training and competing with an injured hip can lead to pain in other parts of the body, like the shoulder,” Nishikori’s statement reveals the vicious cycle of injury recovery in professional tennis—often, the cost of one injury is borne by the entire body.

East Asian players naturally face challenges in meeting the demands of high-intensity professional tours. Wu Yibing has admitted, “Because my body is prone to injuries, I spend more time on warm-ups and rehabilitation than other players.” He engages in nearly two hours of warm-up before each match to ensure every part of his body is fully activated.

Securing a spot in the US Open qualifiers holds multiple meanings for Wu Yibing. This marks his third appearance in the US Open main draw, where eight years ago he won the junior doubles title. The difference now is that at 25, he must start from the qualifiers. This victory broke several personal records: not only is it his first win against a player in the world’s top 100 this season, but it is also his first victory over a Top 100 player since the 2024 Australian Open, and the third time in his career defeating a player in the world’s top 100. More importantly, this is his first victory in the main draw of a tour event in ten months since his withdrawal at the Shanghai Masters last year. With the ticket to the US Open qualifiers firmly in hand, Wu Yibing’s tennis journey is set to open a new chapter. When reporters asked him how he copes with frequent injury troubles, he pointed to his stronger shoulder muscles and more scientific pre-match warm-up routines.

Every time he returns to the court, his warm-up time doubles that of others, and post-training ice therapy has become a non-negotiable ritual. The path to breakthroughs for Chinese male tennis players is destined to be walked by those who understand how to reconcile with their bodies. On the courts of Flushing Meadows in New York, the figure who once topped the junior ranks is now preparing to embark on a new round of ascent, armed with the wisdom gained from countless injuries. (Source: Tennis Home, Author: Xiao Di)