Chinese tennis player Shang Juncheng, currently ranked 237th in the world, shared his expectations ahead of his upcoming second-round match at the Shanghai Masters against Karen Khachanov.
“Karen is a great guy, very pleasant off the court. We communicate often,” Juncheng remarked. “It`s going to be a truly interesting match. He`s an outstanding tennis player, and facing him will be a significant challenge for me. Matches against top-10 players are always very tough, and it`s not easy to beat them, but I will give my utmost. My main goal right now is to enjoy the support of the home crowd.”
Shang further elaborated on Khachanov`s game, noting his imposing physique: “Khachanov, who stands 198 cm tall, possesses a powerful serve. He has a full arsenal of skills; he`s a versatile and flexible player, and his return game is above average. He is a prime example of a top-10 tennis player, very consistent. We`ve even trained together.”
Commenting on his own strategy for the match, Shang added, “I know I have more elasticity, but he has very powerful shots which he will use to pressure my weak points. Throughout the entire match, I need to maintain a positive attitude to enjoy the game. That`s extremely important.”
