Jerry Shang casts doubt on Hong Kong return, as Kazakh conqueror rues loss of easy matches

Alexander Bublik said he missed “the easy matches” from the professional tour of five years ago, after he resisted a second-set fightback from world No 406 Jerry Shang Juncheng in their Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open quarter-final on Friday.\nThe Kazakh won 6-1, 7-6 in one hour and 25 minutes to book a semi-final clash with Marcos Giron of America.\nBublik raced into a 5-0 lead and, after Shang finally got on the board following a sixth game of six deuces, wrapped up the set in 28 minutes.\nShang, who later raised the possibility that he might skip Hong Kong next year, was suffering from a sore throat and called for medication early in the second set. He increased his level, but Bublik saved a set point on his own serve at 5-6, before speeding through the tiebreak for the loss of only two points.\nBublik, who will enter the world’s top 10 should he claim his ninth career title this weekend, acknowledged it was “not good for me” that the men’s tour talent pool had grown so deep.\n“I prefer easy matches, I like the tennis that it was five years ago when you had a bunch of random people playing,” he said.\n“Now it doesn’t matter who you play; a guy [ranked] 300 in the world, a guy top 10, it’s still the same level, besides the main two guys [Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner]. I prefer easy matches.”\n\nBublik said he had “played well and solidly, and delivered the best shots I could in the most important moments.\n“Playing a guy I know well and respect a lot, I knew he was going to be clutch,” he said.\nIllness forced Shang to withdraw from his semi-final against Kei Nishikori last year.\nUnder the weather again 12 months later, he said: “Overall, I’m feeling OK, but 13 degrees doesn’t help anyone feel healthy. He was just the better player, so no complaints.”\nAlso a semi-finalist in 2024, Shang said Hong Kong had provided “a lot of positive things”.\nHe also thanked organisers for awarding him a wild card after an injury-hit 2025 led to his ranking tumbling from a career-high world No 47 in October 2024.\nNonetheless, the 20-year-old stopped short of guaranteeing his return for a fourth edition in 2027, and mooted the prospect of instead competing in the United Cup, the early-season mixed-team tournament in Australia.\n“It could be something to look forward to … to represent my country and have the flag on from the beginning of the year,” Shang said. “It could be a fun idea for me next year, but I get a lot of support here, so I’ll see what the year has for me.”\nGiron, who beat defending champion Alexandre Muller in round two, advanced to meet Bublik after fellow American Michael Mmoh withdrew injured when he was trailing 6-3, 1-0 following 49 minutes on court.\n