Voice | Wu Yibing: Delighted to secure his first win at the Hong Kong tournament, looking forward to an exciting match against Rublev

On January 5th Beijing time, Wu Yibing defeated Marosan in straight sets in the first round of the ATP250 Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open men’s singles, earning his first win of the new season.

Reviewing the match, Wu Yibing said he was pleased with how he played: “My performance today was pretty good. The National Games last year gave me a lot of confidence, and I beat several tough competitors along the way, which made it a week worth remembering. I’m really happy to start my season here in Hong Kong. I spent New Year’s Eve here and am glad to have claimed my first win at the Hong Kong Open.”

Regarding his plans during the off-season, Wu revealed: “I went to Spain to consult with a doctor and now collaborate with a medical team there, discussing some business matters. Then I went to the US for winter training, and afterward returned home to compete. Actually, after the National Games, I came to Hong Kong because some younger teammates were playing in a CTA event, and I wanted to get some early adaptation.”

When asked about his goals by reporters, Wu said: “My short-term goal is to finish here (Hong Kong) and head to the Australian Open, but I mainly hope this year will be my first season completing fully healthy, playing the kind of tennis I want.”

Looking ahead to his second-round match against Rublev, Wu stated: “It was a pity I lost in three sets on grass (Halle), he’s always one of the top baseline players on tour, and I believe I am too. Although I don’t play as many tournaments as he does, I’m confident in my baseline skills and hope to put on a good performance and secure the win.”

Wu also shared his experience exploring Hong Kong before the match: “On New Year’s Eve, I went for a walk near Lan Kwai Fong, but it was really crowded. The only time I’ve been to a club was a couple of years ago in Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong. I’m not really into partying because of the crowds and I’m not very outgoing; usually when I go out, I just go to KTV.”

He also mentioned his visit to Disneyland: “Last week after playing an exhibition match in Macau, my coach gave me a day off, so I told my agent, and the tournament was very kind to arrange everything for me. My fear of heights seems to have improved — I used to basically never ride roller coasters, but now I’ve been all over Disneyland, and I think it’s going pretty well.”

(Editor / Wang Fei, Photo / Visual China)