Buin Chaokete faced a disappointing start to the new season, while Zhou Yi’s flawless victory earned praise from netizens!

Today, as the ATP250 Hong Kong Tennis Open got underway, Chinese player Buin Chaokete narrowly missed three set points in the tiebreak against Indian player Basavaraddi, ultimately losing 6-7(9) 3-6 and exiting in the first round of his new season debut. Meanwhile, another Chinese wildcard, young talent Zhou Yi, showed dominance by defeating Italian player Maestrelli 6-0 6-3 in just 63 minutes, advancing smoothly to the second round of qualifying, where he will compete against Tabillo for a coveted main draw spot.

Before the matches, many favored Buin Chaokete in these two contests, given his recent victory at the 2026 Australian Open Asia-Pacific wildcard event. Although Basavaraddi is an experienced tour player, his overall conservative style was seen as less threatening to Buin Chaokete.

However, once the match began, things did not unfold as expected. Both players battled closely, holding all their service games through to 6-6 in the first set. In the tiebreak, Buin Chaokete had three set points but failed to convert any of them.

After missing those chances, Buin Chaokete’s mindset visibly wavered, while Basavaraddi grew steadier, using precise placement and solid defense to score crucial points, eventually winning the tiebreak 11-9 in a tough finish.

This kind of narrow loss by just a point or two is not new for Buin Chaokete. Most memorably, last year in Hong Kong, he blew leads at 5-3 in the deciding set and in the tiebreak, ultimately being overturned. His tiebreak win rate last year was also very low, leading Chinese fans to jokingly say he “can’t play tiebreaks.”

In the second set, Buin Chaokete failed to recover quickly, making more errors. Basavaraddi seized the momentum, maintaining steady play to take the set 6-3 and seal the victory.

After the match, Buin Chaokete admitted, “My focus dropped a bit; I shouldn’t have made errors on his second serve.” He also mentioned that his opponent’s “low backspin on the backhand made things difficult, and his rallying ability put pressure on me, pushing me mentally towards more aggressive shots.”

In stark contrast to Buin Chaokete’s hard-fought battle, Zhou Yi finished his match in just 63 minutes. The 1.95-meter-tall Beijing native displayed comprehensive technical skills and excellent competitive form.

From the start, Zhou Yi quickly found his rhythm, delivering a “bagel” in the first set with a dominant 6-0 score. He kept up the pressure in the second set and closed out the match 6-3.

Two years ago, Zhou Yi’s ranking jumped from outside the top 900 at the beginning of the year to inside the top 400 by year-end. Last season, he improved from 373 to 251, showing a solid upward trajectory. He once defeated Norrie in Chengdu, proving his ability to compete with top players. Last year, he came very close to qualifying for the Australian Open but had to delay his Grand Slam debut after losing the final to Huang Zelin. He revealed that this loss prompted him to reflect on his playing style and actively seek a style and technique that better suit him.

After the match, Zhou Yi confessed, “I’m still exploring my technical style.” He said he has a laid-back personality, is open to new ideas, and allows flexibility in how he implements them.

Online, some fans expressed regret over Buin Chaokete’s defeat. Comments noted that he needs to improve handling key points and better manage his mindset against experienced opponents.

One netizen commented, “Missing or even ‘wasting’ opportunities is an easy criticism to make. As for why and how those chances slipped away, that’s something the player must learn and refine throughout the long season.”

On the other hand, Zhou Yi’s strong performance received much positive feedback, with many fans offering praise. Observers highlighted his powerful serve and forehand, as well as the fast pace of his play, which put great pressure on his opponent.

One fan said, “As long as he keeps that persistent heart and passion, he can succeed in anything.” Regarding Zhou Yi’s future, another added, “His game is flawless, but he may lack a bit of luck in key moments. He’s still young, and if he improves his experience in major tournaments and mental toughness, he will surely break through soon.”

Although Buin Chaokete suffered a tough opening loss, he still has a chance to prove himself at the upcoming Australian Open main draw. He plans to compete next week in Auckland or Adelaide to prepare. Buin Chaokete stated, “Moving from challengers to the tour is a step-by-step process. I took the first step last year, and this year I hope to fully take the next.”

Zhou Yi faces a bigger challenge next—qualifying round two against Tabillo. If he wins, he will secure his first ATP main draw spot of the new year, marking a major career milestone. Zhou Yi has high expectations: “I hope to have many Grand Slam appearances in my life and look forward to the French Open being my first next year.” He plans to play a series of challenger events in Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia in the first half of the year and represent China in the Davis Cup.

Chinese men’s tennis is currently at a critical growth phase. The qualifying second-round match against Tabillo is imminent, and this 20-year-old knows he is just one step away from his first ATP main draw. Meanwhile, Buin Chaokete has started preparing for next week’s Australian Open warm-up events and needs to quickly turn his Hong Kong loss into motivation to move forward.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)