Zhu beats Tsurenko to win Thailand Open Wu Yibing tops John Isner, is 1st from China with ATP Tour title Sinner beats Cressy in Open Sud de France final

HUA HING, Thailand — China’s Zhu Lin won her first career title after beating Ukraine’s Lesya Tsurenko 6-4, 6-4 in the Thai Open final.

In a match that lasted one hour and 45 minutes, both players traded breakneck baseline plays before Zhu finally found a way to get past her determined opponent.

The 29-year-old Chinese player managed to make a break to go 5-3 up in the first set. Although she was broken by love in the next game, Zhu reciprocated, also with love, and took the first set in 46 minutes.

In the second match, the players traded breaks, with Zhu eventually earning her first match point at 5-3. She landed a well-placed shot to miss the chance, but took advantage of her third shot in Game 10 with a game-winning backhand.

“I am so happy that I finally won my first tour title. All the hard work has finally paid off,” said Zhu, ranked 54th and in the top 50 after the new WTA rankings were updated.

Zhu started the season strong, reaching the quarter-finals in Auckland and the round of 16 at the Australian Open.

The win also allowed Zhu to take revenge on the Ukrainian for losing the WTA Championship in Dubai back in 2019.

Despite the loss, 33-year-old Tsurenko, ranked 136th, will return to the top 100.

DALLAS. Wu Yibing became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour title, going in a three-set tiebreaker thriller to defeat John Isner at the Dallas Open.

Wu cleared 44 aces from Isner with a big serve – one short of a three-set record – and four match points in a 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 7-6(12) win. The 23-year-old became the first Chinese player to compete in an ATP final.

Wu also returned from a set to beat American top seed Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals. In Wu’s victory over Isner, the fifth seed who was playing in his hometown tournament, there were no service breaks.

“It’s not just about winning a title, I think it’s more about me personally making history and also for the country,” said Wu, who was the first Chinese to reach the third round of the US Open. when he did it in qualifying. last year.

“This is very important for the next generation,” Wu said. “As for me, I need to keep going, keep my body healthy. I’m sure there’s more to come.”

Leading 8-7 in the third set tiebreaker, Isner came up to net for an easy volley that hit the top of the net and stayed on Isner’s side. The 6-foot-10 American felt his opportunity was wasted, sat for a few minutes and fiddled with the strings on his racquet.

Wu saved another match point at 10-9 and had four match points of his own in the final tiebreaker before finally converting an Isner serve when Isner sent a right hand wide of Wu’s return.

Wu fell on his back in disbelief and remained lying long enough for Isner to stumble upon the net to congratulate him.

It was the first decider-set tiebreaker in Wu’s career, making it to the top 60 rankings for the first time.

Struggling with injuries that kept him off the field for most of the 2019/20 season before the pandemic upstaged him, Wu was #1121 a year ago.

“I’ve been through a lot,” Wu said. “I think the reason I’m relaxed on the tennis courts now is because I trust myself. If you want to beat me, you’ll have to work hard.”

Since his return, Wu has a 50-10 match record and won three ATP Challenger titles before his breakthrough in Dallas.

Isner attempted his 17th career title in his 31st final. He reached the semi-finals at the first Dallas Open last year before losing in the semi-finals to eventual champion Reilly Opelka.

MONTPLELIE, France. Yannick Sinner of Italy won his seventh singles title and first of the season by beating American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the Open Sud de France final.

The second-place Italian went undefeated in a set en route to winning the tournament.

Sinner saved three break points in Game 4 before taking a 4–0 lead in the tie-break. He took the first set when Cressy landed a backhand.

Cressy, ranked 51st, was concerned about a right finger injury and needed treatment at 3-2 in both sets.

Sinner won the final three games as Cressy took her serve down 4-3, sending in a volley forehand before scoring another volley at match point.

Cressy won their only previous meeting, a Challenger Tour match in Lexington in 2019.