Wu's victory highlights his growing potential as he secures a win against Nick Kyrgios, who faced physical difficulties during the ATP 250 in Stuttgart, Germany.
Wu Yibing spoils Nick Kyrgios' return in Stuttgart as the Chinese tennis player defeats Kyrgios in their first-round match. Wu Yibing, with limited grass court experience, claimed a remarkable victory at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart. In the first round of the ATP 250 event in Germany, the upcoming Chinese talent defeated a visibly struggling Nick Kyrgios 7-5, 6-3.
“The last time I played on grass was juniors back in 2017, so six years,” said Wu after his victory. “I was really happy to play Nick in the first round. He’s one of the best players on grass and he served well… He aced me [so many] times. The key for me was to stay cool, stay patient in the game and find a way. I’m happy [with that result].”
Despite undergoing surgery to repair a small tear in his left lateral meniscus in January, Nick Kyrgios appeared to be physically struggling throughout the match. At one point, he informed his team that he couldn't walk without experiencing pain.
Wu Yibing showcased his skills by saving a break point in the first game and breaking Kyrgios in the 12th game to secure the first set. As Kyrgios' mobility became increasingly limited, the 64th-ranked Wu broke him again in the second set, securing his third victory against a top 30 player.
“It was pretty special because it was very tense, and he was holding his service games pretty easily,” said Wu, when asked about his break to claim the opening set. “I was suffering [on serve] sometimes because he has a better serve than me, but I was patient in the match. I will keep going and work on my serve, and hopefully I can be a better server.”
Wu’s second-round opponent will be Marton Fucsovics after the Hungarian qualifier rallied past Denis Shapovalov 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
