Jerry Shang is setting his sights on a resurgence in the upcoming 2026 season, hoping to leverage the enthusiastic support of Hong Kong fans to propel him back into the world's top 50. The Chinese tennis star, currently ranked No. 253, is eager to put an injury-plagued 2025 behind him and begin a new chapter at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open next month.
Shang, whose full name is Shang Juncheng, achieved a career-high ranking of No. 47 in October 2024, becoming only the second Chinese player to win an ATP Tour event. However, 2025 proved to be a challenging year, with injuries significantly impacting his performance and leading to a drop in the rankings. Despite the setbacks, the 20-year-old, who is currently training at Florida's IMG Academy, is optimistic about the future and determined to regain his position among the world's elite.
"A tennis season runs almost all year, from January to November," Shang said. "There are so many factors, including travel, different surfaces, and physical recovery, that should be taken into consideration, but for me, physical ability still matters most. My 2024 season was perfect, but 2025 was all about recovery." He acknowledged the difficulties in balancing rest, form, and ranking points, a challenge he is still learning to manage.
Shang's journey to professional tennis began at a young age. He started training at the Emilio Sanchez Academy in Nanjing at the age of 11 before moving to the Emilio Sanchez Tennis Academy. His commitment and hard work led him to become the top junior world-ranked player. In 2019, Shang was the first player born in 2005 to win a tournament on the ITF Junior Circuit. He reached the quarterfinals of the French Open in 2021.
In 2024, Shang secured his first ATP Tour title at the Chengdu Open, marking a significant milestone in his career. This victory propelled him into the top 55 in the rankings. He also made history by becoming the first man born in 2005 or later to reach the Top 50 in ATP rankings.
Looking ahead to 2026, Shang plans to use a protected ranking to return to the Australian Open. He also intends to participate in several Challenger Tour events and Middle East tournaments. "I still have nine protected entries, which is enough for me to find my footing again," he stated. "I just want to progress step by step." Shang's focus this winter has been on building strength and endurance while staying injury-free, hoping that a healthy start will allow everything else to fall into place.
Despite the challenges he faced in 2025, Shang secured a National Games medal, a silver lining in a year dominated by recovery. He remains focused on the long-term goal of returning to his peak performance level and potentially breaking into the top 10 or 20. "I don't know when or if I will be back to my highest place and even break into the top 10 or 20, but I will keep working my way there, one step at a time," Shang said.
The Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open will be an important starting point for Shang's 2026 season. He hopes that the energy and support from the Hong Kong fans will provide the motivation he needs to kick-start his comeback.
