HONG KONG, January 3, 2025 (Press Release)
Two players from the same region but on the opposite ends of their careers will face off in the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2025 semifinal as China’s Shang Juncheng and Japan’s Kei Nishikori won their quarterfinals to advance. France’s Alexandre Muller and Spain’s Jaume Munar will clash in an all-Europe semi on Saturday.
China’s Shang Juncheng fought back from a set down to take his place in the semifinals of the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2025 with a crowd pleasing win over top seed Andrey Rublev’s conqueror, Fabian Marozsan. The rising star started slowly but found his form in the second set before closing out a nail-biting final set to claim a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Signed. Sealed. Delivered ✅
Jerry Shang defeats Marozsan 1-6 6-3 6-4 and reaches back-to-back Hong Kong semi-finals! #BOCHKTO pic.twitter.com/32STnkG2bh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 3, 2025
Shang said: “I am very happy but I didn’t have the best start. I kept fighting in the second set, tried new things, and glad I came through. Each round is a challenge, and I have a new challenge ahead tomorrow, playing while not feeling the best, but I will do my very best to try and get through.”
Former US Open singles finalist Nishikori captured the first set against Cameron Norrie but the Brit raised his level to take the match to a deciding third set. In a gruelling contest full of long rallies, Nishikori held firm to book his place in the last four with 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory.
It’s like he never left
After years off the tour due to a string of injuries, Kei Nishikori is rediscovering his level in Hong Kong @keinishikori #BOCHKTO pic.twitter.com/HZfrExVnEi
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 3, 2025
Nishikori commented: “I hope I can make the final, it has been a long time. I am very happy with the way I am playing especially at this level, against the likes of Karen (Khachanov) and Cam (Norrie), they are not easy opponents. I am very pleased with where I am right now.”
The last two remaining seeds at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open (“BOCHKTO”) 2025 exited the tournament at the quarterfinal stage on Friday as Lorenzo Musetti and Arthur Fils fell to their opponents in three sets.
Frenchman Fils was the first out of the blocks in his encounter with Alexandre Muller as took the first set comprehensively, 6-3. The 67th ranked Muller returned the favour with the same scoreline before running away in the third set 6-1 for an impressive victory. This was the third consecutive match Muller had won after losing the first set.
In the semifinals, Muller will play Spaniard Jaume Munar, who eliminated the last seeded player in the draw Lorenzo Musetti. The Italian started strongly to take the first set 6-2, but the unseeded Munar kept it together during tight moments to take the last two sets, 7-6 (4), 7-5.
Saturday’s semifinals will first see Muller take on Munar followed by an enticing all-Asian clash between Shang and Nishikori before top seeds in doubles Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul play Rublev and Karen Khachanov for a place in the final.
