Wu Ready To Become A Record—Setter In Melbourne

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 11th December 2012

Wu Ready To Become A Record—Setter In Melbourne

epa03049882 Wu Di of China in action during the singles match against Lleyton Hewitt of Australia at the Hopman Cup, Perth, Australia, 05 January 2012. EPA/TONY MCDONOUGH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Another piece of tennis history will be made at next month’s Australian Open when Di Wu, currently the world’s no.183rd ranked player, will become the first Chinese male in the Open era to figure in the main draw of a Grand Slam event.

The 21 year-old right-hander hails from Wuhan, the same city as former French Open women’s champion Li Na, and he defeated Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke to win the Asia-Pacific Australian Open Wildcard Play-off men’s final and so guarantee a place in 2013’s first major that begins on January 14.

On his way to the final Nanjing , Wu beat top seed Yuichi Sugita of Japan and his Chinese compatriot Ze Zhang who was seeded fourth.

And with the event still a month away, nerves are beginning to jangle for the player now based in Shanghai who represented China in this year’s Hopman Cup in Perth alongside Li Na.

“I hope that I can play to 80% of my level,” said Di Wu, who has won has won six ITF Futures events, five in China and the most recent coming five months ago in South Korea. “The reason that I don’t say 100% is that this is just my first Grand Slam event after all, there will be some uncertainties and I am still pretty inexperienced.

I am proud to be the first, but of course at the same time, I am also feeling the pressure. But I will try to turn it into motivation. Every athlete has to face pressure and I am no different.”

In preparation, Di Wu is currently working at altitude in the alpine region of France where he practices indoors. The fitness regime has been strict and Di Wu said: “We have to play best of five sets and the summer in Melbourne is scorching hot, so I have to be well prepared with my fitness. Even on Sundays I have to climb mountains.”