#NextGenATP Juncheng Shang beats rain, Jordan Thompson makes history in Atlanta | ATP Tour

Atlanta

Over ice cream, #NextGenATP Shang beats rain with Purcell in Atlanta

Thompson and Davidovich Fokina played the longest match in tournament history

July 27, 2024

During a rain delay in the second half of Shang Juncheng's Atlanta Open quarter-final against Max Purcell on Friday evening, the #NextGenATP star was tight-lipped about where Purcell would serve if play resumed. The 19-year-old had something else on his mind: ice cream!

“We try to keep it fun, but I keep myself focused. We talked about eating ice cream after the tournament,” Shang said during the courtroom interview, breaking into laughter. “There is a shop over there. After the tournament if I do really well, and I feel good, I might go and maybe I'll see you there!”

Shang leaps to victory ✨⏭️🌈

The winning streak continues with Shang taking the win against Purcell 7-6(3) 6-4 @ATLOpenTennis | #AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/i4CQU2TETN

– ATP Tour (@atptour) July 27, 2024

Shang is doing very well this week to earn it. The teenager defeated Purcell 7-6(3), 6-4 despite two rain delays to reach the second ATP Tour semifinal of his budding career. Earlier this season, he made the last four in Hong Kong.

The Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF competitors led 5/2 at the first break when play was suspended due to rain. Weather broke even at 4-4, deuce in the second set.

Purcell was on fire with his service games for most of the second set. But on the restart, Shang attacked his opponent's front for a crucial break and was caught before the rain could do any more damage.

“I think [there were] difficult situations. It rained twice and especially the first time during the break was important and I think I kept my mind together, I played really good tennis,” said Shang. “Max has been playing well on grass recently. [It was] It's a great game and I'm happy to finish it.”

Shang, who knocked out top seed Ben Shelton on Thursday, will play Jordan Thompson, who won a historic victory earlier on Friday.

The fourth seed ousted fifth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and three minutes, making the Atlanta Open quarterfinal the longest match in tournament history.

“I feel like I played the longest match in the history of the tournament. It was brutally hot. There wasn't much cloud cover today,” said Thompson. “So if you're playing at two o'clock in the morning, in the middle of the day, not cloud cover, it was great, very difficult.”

Davidovich Fokina saved 12 of 14 break points he faced according to Infosys ATP Stats, but his resilience under pressure was not enough. Thompson was on course to reach his fourth ATP Tour semifinal of the season.

A year later, the Australian had reached the semifinals of four tourneys. He doubled his tally in 2024 and now has two wins to claim his second title of the year (Los Cabos).

“Jerry is a really good player, a lefty, a young guy, and he's coming,” Thompson said. “He feels like he has nothing to lose, and he plays like that.”

Yoshihito Nishioka ousted favorite Frances Tiafoe, the third seed, 7-6(2), 6-2 to reach her first semi-final of the year. This was his second quarter-final of 2024.

The Japanese lefty, a doubles ATP Tour singles player, will play either Mattia Bellucci or Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the final.

Nishioka had lost his first three Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings against Tiafoe, losing only one set in those matches. But in Atlanta he faced just one break point to advance after 84 minutes.

Did you know?
If Shang defeats Thompson in the semifinals, he will move up to second place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.