At the Rolex Shanghai Masters, 21-year-old wildcard entrant Yi Zhou has achieved the finest result of his professional tennis career by defeating two consecutive Italian opponents under the guidance of former top-50 player Davide Sanguinetti, gazzetta.it reported.
From Beijing Badminton Courts to the Shanghai Masters Main Draw
Standing 193 centimeters tall and ranked No. 277 in the world prior to the tournament, Zhou entered the ATP Masters 1000 event in his home country without a single prior top-200 ranking or a back-to-back ATP main draw match win. In the opening round, he overcame Mattia Bellucci by saving match points, before securing the biggest victory of his career by defeating Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center.
“I can’t believe it and at the same time I do believe it,” Zhou said, according to gazzetta.it. “It is proof that what I am doing is right.”
A Childhood Switch from Badminton to Tennis
Before committing to tennis at age ten, Zhou played competitive badminton, a sport boasting roughly 250 million participants in China compared to tennis’s estimated 25 million. Encouraged by his mother to prioritize academic pursuits, Zhou transitioned to tennis because it offered broader opportunities to study abroad and experience international cultures.
Managing Type 1 Diabetes on the Professional Tour
Off the court, the Beijing native manages Type 1 Diabetes, the same condition diagnosed in world No. 2 Alexander Zverev. To handle the daily physical demands and maintain stable health routines, Zhou’s support team consulted medical professionals and reached out to Zverev’s staff for practical advice on managing the condition while traveling and competing on the professional tour.
“My team contacted Zverev’s team to ask for a couple of tips,” Zhou said, as reported by gazzetta.it. “Personally, I have never spoken to Sasha, maybe I will do it this week.”
Tactical Blueprint and Upcoming Match Against Hubert Hurkacz
Under Sanguinetti’s coaching, Zhou models his aggressive, net-rushing style of play after his childhood idol, Roger Federer, utilizing a powerful serve to open up the court. Against Musetti, Zhou saved four of five break points and claimed two tie-breaks, drawing tactical inspiration from watching Karen Khachanov earlier in the tournament.
“Before the match, I watched Khachanov play three tie-breaks, and I thought everyone has a chance to win two. So why not me?” Zhou said, according to gazzetta.it.
Zhou advances to face former tournament champion Hubert Hurkacz in the third round of the Shanghai Masters.
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