Shang Juncheng's return ends without a win, seemingly injured again. Can 17 million ease the pain of dropping out of the TOP 100?

Shang Juncheng made his comeback debut at the Toronto Masters after recovering from injury, but unfortunately, he lost the match in straight sets, missing out on his first victory upon return!

Before Shang took the court, the former Chinese number one revealed in an interview that he was ready, raising expectations for whether the young player could impress everyone after overcoming his foot injury and secure a win for Chinese men's tennis in Toronto.

The high hopes for Shang are also related to another matter!

Previously, during an interview, Shang proactively revealed that his injury had healed after Wimbledon. He delayed his return because he was concerned about slipping on the grass and getting hurt, so he chose to make his comeback at the Toronto Masters for a more cautious approach. Of course, hard courts are also a type he enjoys playing on.

Because of this, everyone was eager to see a healthy and vigorous Shang Juncheng, who had been stuck for so long—would he roar like a fierce lion upon his return, declaring his strong comeback?

When Shang Juncheng and qualifying player Dakworth appeared on stage, fans and netizens in the live stream immediately found it amusing.

Shang still looked quite frail, while Dakworth was built like a bull, leading to the joke of "the shepherd and the wild bull," with many saying, "I really want to see how the shepherd tames this wild bull."

Surprisingly, the explosive performance everyone anticipated from Shang upon his return did not happen. The former Chinese number one could not become a legendary figure like Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer, as he lost his first service game in the opening set and quickly fell behind 0-2.

Despite Shang's efforts to speed up his game and even leveling the score to 3-3, the long absence from the court meant he couldn't establish that intuitive communication with tennis, and he ultimately lost the first set 3-6.

The start of the second set mirrored the first. When viewers saw that Shang was unable to compete against Dakworth, falling behind 0-2, many expressed their disappointment in the live chat, stating that if he continued like this, it would be tough for Shang to avoid a quick defeat.

Unexpectedly, after a strong comeback, Shang not only leveled the score but also pushed the second set into a tiebreak. The former Chinese number one’s surprising burst of energy gave everyone hope for a comeback, and they eagerly anticipated his performance in the tiebreak, hoping he would take it and then create a scene where the shepherd leaps onto the bull’s back, playing a victory tune on his flute.

Regrettably, Shang's relatively frail physique quickly succumbed to Dakworth's overwhelming strength. After losing the tiebreak 3-7, he was directly pushed out of the tournament by Dakworth, suffering a disappointing loss in his comeback debut.

Regarding Shang's less-than-satisfactory performance in his comeback debut, fans and netizens expressed that they were not overly concerned about the result. After all, he had just returned, and it takes time to adapt to the intensity of competition. Losing by a score that wasn't too embarrassing was already quite an achievement. "Everyone is patient, waiting for the spirited little Shang to come back; they are not short-sighted people; there is plenty of time ahead!"

What everyone is concerned about now is whether Shang has been injured again after his return!

Because the former Chinese number one suddenly called for a medical timeout during the match, and judging by the medical staff's actions, it seemed like his foot was injured again. There was a definite statement saying, "There is discomfort in the toe."

Some expressed that if he gets injured again right after returning from injury, it would be a huge setback for Shang. "We hope he stays injury-free and can play through the rest of the season in good health."

Whether Shang has been injured again is still uncertain; we can only wait for further updates. According to his competition schedule, he is set to participate in the Cincinnati Masters qualifiers next. If he suddenly withdraws, it will be clear that he has indeed been injured again.

Additionally, there is some bad news: after being deducted 113 points from last year's Atlanta 250 event, his current world ranking has dropped to 109th place.

Although Shang faced a heartbreaking situation upon his return in Toronto, there was also some good news: despite being eliminated in the first round, he still earned $23,760, which is about 170,000 yuan, perhaps a small consolation for his injured spirit!

However, some netizens quickly pointed out that can this 170,000 yuan prize ease the pain of dropping out of the TOP 100? Someone quickly replied, "Of course it can! As long as he doesn't get injured again, as long as there is tomorrow, there is hope!"(Source: Tennis House, Author: Moonlight River's Starry Sky)