With ice cream looming, #NextGenATP Shang beats rain & Purcell in Atlanta

During the second rain delay of Shang Juncheng’s Atlanta Open quarter-final against Max Purcell Friday evening, the #NextGenATP star was not stressing over where Purcell would serve when play resumed. Something else was on the 19-year-old’s mind: ice cream!

“We try to keep a fun environment, but keeping myself focused. We talked about eating ice cream after the tournament,” Shang said during his on-court interview, cracking a laugh. “There's a shop right over there. After the tournament if I do really good, and I feel good, I might go so maybe see you guys there!”

Shang leaps into victory ✨⏭️🌈

The wins continue for 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 performing plenty well this week to earn it. The teen defeated Purcell 7-6(3), 6-4 despite two rain delays to reach the second ATP Tour semi-final of his budding career. Earlier this season, he made the last four in Hong Kong.

The Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF contender led 5/2 in the first-set tie-break when play was suspended due to rain. The weather struck again at 4-4, deuce in the second set.

Purcell had breezed through his service games for most of the second set. But upon resumption, Shang attacked his opponent’s forehand to earn the pivotal break and then held before rain could wreak any more havoc.

“I think [there were] tough conditions. It rained twice and especially the first time in the tie-break was crucial and I think I kept my mind together, played really good tennis,” Shang said. “Max has been playing good on the grass lately. [It was] just a super good match and happy to be through.”

Shang, who ousted top seed Ben Shelton Thursday, will next play Jordan Thompson, who earned a historic victory earlier Friday.

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

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

Davidovich Fokina saved 12 of the 14 break points he faced according to Infosys ATP Stats, but his toughness under pressure was not enough. Thompson was persistent to reach his fourth ATP Tour semi-final of the season.

Entering the year, the Australian had reached four tour-level semi-finals. He has doubled his count in 2024 and is now two wins from claiming his second title of the year (Los Cabos).

“Jerry is just a really, really good player, left-hander, young fella, and he's coming up,” Thompson said. “He feels like he's got nothing to lose, and he's playing that way.”

Yoshihito Nishioka took out home favourite Frances Tiafoe, the third seed, 7-6(2), 6-2 to reach his first semi-final of the year. This was only his second quarter-final of 2024.

The Japanese lefty, a two-time ATP Tour titlist, will play Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the final. The Frenchman hit 21 aces to oust Italian Mattia Bellucci 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1 in two hours and 23 minutes.

Nishioka had lost his first three Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings against Tiafoe, only losing 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 semi-finals, he will climb to second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.