Wu Yibing reaches his first quarterfinal of the season and secures a wildcard for the China Open; the final beneficiary after Sun Fajing’s wildcard cancellation revealed

Wu Yibing has at last transformed Hangzhou from being regarded by some fans and netizens as a "cursed city" into his own lucky venue, achieving a major breakthrough this season in scenic Jiangnan!

After narrowly overturning Mannarino in the first round at the Hangzhou 250 event to advance to the last 16, many have been questioning whether this is a demonstration of the former Chinese top player’s solid ability or simply good fortune!

Some outsiders hold this view mainly because Wu Yibing had advantages in age and head-to-head records but won in a shaky manner, without showing a smooth and dominant performance, so it’s understandable that doubts have arisen.

Therefore, the second-round match against American Korda became crucial! Some say this match was both a big challenge for Wu Yibing and an opportunity for him to prove himself.

Looking at the pre-match betting odds, Wu Yibing was given 2.75 to 1 against Korda’s 1.44 to 1, a clear disparity indicating that the former Chinese No.1 was not favored to defeat the American and reach the quarterfinals.

Hence, this match would either confirm some people’s doubts about Wu Yibing or prove that he has indeed regained his top 100 form, sparking great interest and eagerness to see what would happen after the game.

Concerns about Wu Yibing from outsiders only grew starting from the first set.

When viewers saw the former Chinese No.1 being dominated by Korda from the very beginning, some in the live chat said that if Wu could last to three sets, there might still be hope; otherwise, he would only be waiting for consolation messages.

Some even pointed out that with all baseline attacks and angles used, how could Wu possibly beat Korda? “The American is not 37-year-old Monfils who would give the 26-year-old Yibing chances; the match will most likely end in two sets with the American winning.”

Especially after Korda took the first set 6-4, putting all the pressure on Wu Yibing, more people in the live chat doubted Wu’s ability to turn the match around.

Just when everyone thought Wu Yibing would be overwhelmed by Korda’s powerful serves and lose convincingly, the former Chinese No.1 made a bold and risky move at a critical moment, no longer playing normally as in the first set but directly attacking the American’s strong serve.

This aggressive change unexpectedly disrupted Korda’s rhythm and brought remarkable results for Wu Yibing, who crushed the American 6-1 in the second set, leaving fans and netizens in the live chat both surprised and delighted.

After leveling the score, the gloomy atmosphere in the live chat was largely lifted. Many believed that as long as Wu maintained the strong form shown in the second set, the chance of a comeback was very high.

The deciding set was a psychological test for fans and netizens, and equally so for Wu Yibing.

Facing the pressure created by Korda’s steadiness, Wu Yibing, though at a disadvantage at times, made everyone worry he might suddenly collapse. Fortunately, supported by the loud cheers of the home crowd, he held firm under the intense pressure and ultimately sealed the deciding set 6-4, completing a remarkable comeback against Korda.

At the moment of Wu Yibing’s comeback victory, everyone immediately applauded him warmly and marveled at how hard-earned the win was. With doubts from outsiders, unfavorable betting odds, and huge pressure from his opponent, carrying these three burdens and still smiling at the end requires solid strength; without it, proving oneself would be impossible.

Of course, this tough comeback also brought Wu Yibing considerable rewards. Besides reaching his first quarterfinal on the tour this season and making a breakthrough in his hometown Hangzhou, he earned 50 ranking points, moving his current world ranking up to 169, bringing him closer to returning to the top 100. More importantly, from now on, Hangzhou is no longer seen by Wu Yibing as the "jinxed place" some fans and netizens once claimed, but as a new lucky venue.

Furthermore, after his victory, Wu Yibing received another piece of good news—a wildcard for the China Open qualifying draw was granted to him.

Some humorously remarked that after such a great match bringing so many good things to Yibing, even though his next round opponent is Grand Slam champion Medvedev, the pressure remains huge, it will surely motivate Wu Yibing even more.

After the China Open qualifying wildcards were announced, besides Wu Yibing making the list, Zhou Yi, who recently exited in the second round of the Chengdu 250 event, also became a fortunate recipient, which for him is somewhat of a consolation.

The last wildcard for the China Open qualifying was given to the young Hong Kong player Wong Chak-lam! When this news was finalized, it also confirmed earlier speculations from some outsiders.

When Sun Fajing indirectly announced via personal social media that his China Open qualifying wildcard was canceled, many felt sympathy for him and boldly guessed that the wildcard would likely be given to Wong Chak-lam to favor the Hong Kong compatriot. The final result showed that fans and netizens had guessed correctly.

Although Sun Fajing unfortunately missed out on the China Open qualifying wildcard and many outsiders believe he was treated unfairly, some still think the China Open’s decision should be understood as an unavoidable choice. Setting aside other factors, from the perspective of maximizing the wildcard’s value, Wong Chak-lam is definitely more reliable, especially since he performed well at the US Open this year, while Sun Fajing fell short in hard results and thus suffered a disadvantage!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)