Wu Yibing becomes first Chinese man to reach the US Open third round since 1881.
This article is more than 10 months old
This article is more than 10 months old
Chinese man Qiu Yibing is back on the professional tour as the first person to play in the US Open’s third round since 1881.
The 29-year-old has not played on clay since he was 21 and was making his first visit to the United States since retiring from the China Open in 2013.
The win over Australian Nick Kyrgios in the first round on Friday was his first competitive match in almost four years.
“It feels good to have my own first time,” Qiu told reporters after the match. “It was a great match. It was a very good start.”
“It was my first time playing on clay and it was a big advantage. The court has very deep lines now. It felt very good. I don’t think I got much time to practice on clay. I am very happy.”
As the only Chinese man in the US Open since the event’s inception in 1881, Qiu’s success has brought international attention to the tournament. As China’s best hope of winning a match against the United States on the professional tour, his success has attracted international attention as well.
The US Open’s head of professional operations, Andy Miller, praised Qiu for bringing significant visibility to the event.
“We are happy to have a local win. We know how much Qiu has contributed to this tournament, as well as his family life and support to his teammates,” said Miller.
“Qiu is not just a number and was not just a tennis player. He is a great ambassador, as well. Qiu is a person we are very proud to have on our side.”
The only other Chinese on the elite tour has been Hsieh Yong-jian, who played on the US Open main draw in 2013, and was later banned from playing due to a doping violation on the final day of that year’s tournament. Qiu’s win over Kyrgios on Friday secured him the No. 5 spot on the ranking,