Wu Yibing: Taking the tournament match by match, aiming for the second week of a Grand Slam

In the first round of the 2026 Australian Open men's singles, Wu Yibing overcame Italian opponent Nardi 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, earning his first main draw victory at the Australian Open. After the match, Wu analyzed the contest with its small challenges and discussed his fitness, tournament schedule, and thoughts on the development of Chinese tennis as a whole.

Regarding the match, Wu Yibing revealed: “I had a slight strain in my right thigh during the third round of qualifying, so I wrapped it with a bandage today. Initially, I intended to wrap it loosely because last year in Hangzhou, wrapping it too tight caused discomfort in other muscles. But later I realized it was still too loose, so I called for a medical timeout and took some painkillers. As the match progressed, I gradually felt better. Towards the end, I even noticed he started cramping, which made me want to laugh—I thought, 'Shouldn't I be the one cramping first?' That gave me a bit of a breather.”

Reviewing details, Wu said: “I performed better than him both from the baseline and in serving. Before the match, I watched several of his videos and knew he had previously beaten Djokovic; he is a very consistent baseline player. But against my aggressive play and sharp angles, he lacked sufficient defense on key points. I also used varied shots, and today I executed the finer points more precisely.”

On the significance of his first main draw win at the Australian Open, Wu remained composed: “It's alright; my goal is to reach the second week, so I take it one match at a time.”

Having recently experienced cold symptoms, Wu shared his coping methods: “Earlier, my throat was uncomfortable back home, and drinking Malva nut tea and doing some care was easy, but it's harder here. The hotel I’m staying at is close to Chinatown, so I bought honey and ginger to brew in hot water, which at least soothes my throat a bit. I'm not fully recovered yet and still have a bit of a runny nose, but it doesn’t affect my play much. It was particularly tough during qualifying; my energy was low. Fortunately, qualifying ended on Thursday, and the main event starts Tuesday, giving me three to four days of rest, which is very important. These past two days, I’ve already felt better.”

About maintaining consistency and endurance in competition, Wu said his team is still exploring: “My team and I have been figuring this out. We’re close to getting back to normal competition, but many things happened along the way, and we’ve been searching for direction and trying different approaches. Even with experience, the team couldn’t fully determine what my exact issues were. Now we’re slowly nearing answers, and I can finish matches without major injuries. Muscle strains are inevitable since I haven’t competed continuously at this level for a long time. Some fluctuations are normal, and the team accepts that. Overall, everything is moving in a positive direction.”

Speaking about his second-round opponent, American player Spizzirri, Wu joked: “I remember he has quite severe hair loss. Once I saw him take off his hat and thought he was much older, but later I learned he’s only in his early twenties. He won against Fonseca today. I trained with him before in Hangzhou and recall he performed well in domestic challengers afterward. I will prepare well and focus on recovering properly for tomorrow.”

Chinese players have shone at this Australian Open, with 8 participants and 4 advancing to the second round. Wu commented: “That’s great. The Australian Open has always been a favorable venue for Chinese tennis. Na Li also won a Grand Slam here. The timing suits viewers back home, and many celebrities come to cheer, which greatly promotes the development of Chinese tennis. As players, we feel more positive energy on court. The support from the audience is very important to us.”

When asked if he hoped Jay Chou would come to cheer, Wu responded sincerely: “It’s okay; I never said I really wanted to meet him. I’ve always believed that the power of an idol doesn’t have to turn into friendship. He’s the biggest star influencing my growth. Whether I’m feeling down or happy, I listen to his songs to get through it. I do envy those who can talk to him or be with him. My friends think of him when they mention me, but others don’t think of me when they mention him. This subtle impact is enough; the power of an idol doesn’t need proof or a special relationship. Whether he comes or not, I respect him the same. The strength he brings to the Chinese community is constant, and I hope to bring positive things to everyone through what I do best.”

Talking about winter training and his own abilities, Wu expressed confidence: “Actually, my winter training was seriously insufficient, relying more on earlier groundwork and my own efforts. I’m very determined to return to the court, and my team shares this. Last year, I won a challenger with an injured leg, which is somewhat similar to now. The more matches I win like this, the more it makes me and my team realize that my body has great potential for improvement. It also indirectly shows that my technical and tactical skills are nearly at the top level. I watch matches and study other players’ styles. As long as my body holds up and I can keep competing, winning will come naturally. I won’t get proud just because I won a round at a Grand Slam. My goals are further ahead. Although I don’t want to express it too much publicly, my team and I clearly understand this ambition.”

(Written by Felix, Edited by Sunny)