Li Tu has certified for his first ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai, changing into one among seven Australian males to look in the primary draw of the celebrated Chinese language occasion.
Shanghai, China, 2 October 2024 | Jackson Mansell
Li Tu has achieved many firsts within the final three months.
In July, he reached his first Challenger remaining. In August, he made his first US Open, and on that very same night time, he took a set off Carlos Alcaraz.
Yesterday, the world No.193 made it to the primary draw of his first ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. The 28-year-old progressed with a 6-2 6-2 win over China’s Xiao Linang within the remaining spherical of qualifying.
Tu has been happy with the milestones he has handed since reaching the Lexington Challenger remaining. He believes the boldness acquired from every achievement has snowballed, permitting him to flourish on courtroom.
“It’s been a really constructive final two or three months. Since making that remaining of the Challenger in Lexington, I believe I’ve performed some actually good tennis,” Tu stated in Shanghai. “I believe I’ve simply been in a position to trip the boldness and the momentum of New York on the US Open into these few weeks and hopefully I can preserve it going.”
His enchancment might be credited to a psychological shift and the ideology of leaving all the things on the courtroom.
“Mentally I’m actually ready to work and actually ready to compete and simply depart all of it on the market week-by-week, I believe that’s most likely been the largest factor,” he stated of his sudden rise.
“I believe I’ve all the time had the instruments to compete with among the finest gamers right here. However I believe one thing that I’ve improved recently is that psychological aspect of believing in myself a bit extra and simply realizing that every one the one-percenters rely, and simply actually making an attempt to make it possible for after I step on the tennis courtroom, I put my best possible effort on the market and play with no regrets.”
Tu is one among seven Australians within the Shanghai Masters principal draw, making it one other event with a robust green-and-gold presence.
> DRAW: Shanghai Masters males’s singles
“I actually suppose that having such good camaraderie, seeing how all people goes about their enterprise and taking a look at one another and seeing what all people’s doing, what we will enhance ourselves, seeing all of the Aussie gamers do effectively simply instils perception subconsciously,” Tu stated.
“There’s 10, 11 [Australian men] within the high 100 now which is admittedly wonderful, so wanting ahead to getting a number of extra in there.”
World No.90 Aleksandar Vukic is a type of Aussies who will characteristic within the first spherical in Shanghai, stamping his ticket with a 6-4 6-4 win over American Mitchell Krueger within the remaining spherical of qualifying.
The New South Welshman is ecstatic together with his efficiency amid troublesome situations.
“I believed I served effectively and performed a extremely strong match in difficult situations. It’s gone from actually sizzling and humid to chilly and windy. I dealt with it fairly effectively right this moment and total, I’m actually blissful,” Vukic stated.
Vukic will play later right this moment in opposition to Frenchman Corentin Moutet, vying for a spot within the second spherical for the second consecutive yr.
The opposite Aussies that includes in the primary draw are Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Rinky Hijikata, Christopher O’Connell and James Duckworth.
