Wu Yibing becomes first Chinese man to win Slam match since 1959

Wu Yibing on Monday became the first Chinese man in 63 years to win a singles match at a Grand Slam when he knocked 31st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili out of the US Open

File Photo: Wu, ranked 174 and who came through qualifying, is also the first Chinese man to win a US Open singles match since Cheng Guy in 1935. | Photo Credit: AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Wu Yibing on Monday became the first Chinese man in 63 years to win a singles match at a Grand Slam when he knocked 31st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili out of the US Open

Wu, 22, triumphed 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 in the opening round, firing nine aces in his 31 winners past his Georgian opponent.

Mei Fu Chi, at Wimbledon in 1959, was the last Chinese man to win a match at the majors.

Wu, ranked 174 and who came through qualifying, is also the first Chinese man to win a US Open singles match since Cheng Guy in 1935.

Wu was the 2017 junior champion in New York but his professional career has been dogged by injuries and he was sidelined completely from March 2019 until January 2022.

He was ranked a lowly 1,869 in March but has now won 14 successive matches.

He could be joined in the second round by compatriot Zhang Zhizhen who was facing Tim van Rijthoven of the Netherlands.