The Three Chinese Musketeers faced different fates on the same day: Zhang Zhizhen triumphed over a European opponent, Wu Yibing made a comeback, and Shang Juncheng narrowly lost.

On December 26th Beijing time, the Australian Open celebrity exhibition officially started, and simultaneously, the WTCC World Tennis Continental Challenge went on. In key matches, Zhang Zhizhen overcame Italian talent Cobolli 7-6(5), 6-3, leveling the World Team and Europe Team at 2-2. Meanwhile, at the Macau exhibition on the same day, Wu Yibing won a tough three-set battle 6-4, 3-6, 10-6 against French player Humbert; Shang Juncheng lost 0-2 to Spain's Fokina, with scores of 7-6(3), 7-5.

The WTCC World Tennis Continental Challenge entered its second day, with the World Team trailing Europe 1-2, making Zhang Zhizhen’s victory crucial. However, his opponent was formidable: Italian Cobolli had an outstanding 2025 season, reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals this year. In contrast, the former Chinese No.1’s form after returning at the Hangzhou tournament was inconsistent, with few wins in the Chinese season.

Against Italian Cobolli, Zhang Zhizhen fought a tight first set, eventually edging out a 7-6(5) tiebreak win; in the second set, he fully controlled the pace to take it 6-3. Zhang’s first serve success and baseline consistency clearly outmatched his opponent. His decisive attacks on crucial points and net play were key to his victory.

In the second set, Zhang maintained his excellent form, continuously pressuring from the baseline and serve. After Cobolli was broken in critical service games, he lost the match 0-2 overall.

Regarding this match, Zhang Zhizhen received high praise from observers. Tennis commentator Li Bin noted, “Zhang’s growth is evident, and his mental toughness in key matches has significantly improved. Wu Yibing’s win shows the resilience of Chinese players, while Shang Juncheng needs to work on maintaining intensity until the very end.”

On social media, fans responded enthusiastically to the performances of the three players. One netizen praised, “Zhang Zhizhen is showing more and more leadership qualities, facing strong European opponents without fear!”

Turning to the first round of the Macau Tennis Celebrity Tournament, Wu Yibing engaged in a three-set battle with French player Humbert.

At the start, Wu quickly found his rhythm, taking the first set 6-4; Humbert raised his aggression to claim the second 6-3; in the deciding match tiebreak, Wu scored four consecutive points at a critical moment to seal a 10-6 victory.

Throughout the match, Wu’s volleying and court coverage stood out, demonstrating a competitive level beyond his ranking on several key points.

This win is significant for Wu Yibing, marking his gradual return to form after injury. Previously, he performed well in the US Open qualifiers, coming close to entering the main draw.

On the same day at Macau, Shang Juncheng faced Spain’s Fokina and suffered a close but unfortunate defeat.

The first set went to a tiebreak, with Shang losing 3-7; in the second set, he held even at 5-5 but was broken in the crucial 11th game, losing 5-7 and the match 0-2.

Technical stats show Shang’s backhand lacked stability, with multiple unforced errors during rallies; Fokina’s tactic of moving him side to side successfully disrupted Shang’s rhythm.

Notably, Shang Juncheng has recently seemed troubled by injuries. At the recent US Open, he retired due to injury, which may have affected his preparation and match condition.

On social media, fans shared their thoughts on the two players’ performances. One wrote, “It’s touching to see Wu Yibing come back and win, knowing how hard he’s worked these years.” Regarding Shang’s loss, most expressed understanding: “Shang is still young and needs experience, but the key is learning from every defeat.”

Wu Yibing’s career has been full of ups and downs, but this victory proves he still has the ability to compete with top players. His main challenge remains staying healthy and consistently participating in tournaments.

As a representative of the new generation, Shang Juncheng has solid technique but less experience in major competitions. His bottlenecks lie in coping with high-intensity matches and handling crucial points.

On the same day, the three Chinese players took three different paths, but these routes may eventually converge on higher peaks. The new season could bring more surprises from Chinese men’s tennis.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)