US Open: Qualifier Wu makes history for Chinese tennis, smashes 31st seed Basilashvili

Chinese qualifier Yibing Wu advanced to the second round of the US Open by defeating Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, the No 31 seed, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on Monday.

Wu, ranked No 174, will play the winner of the match between American wildcard Ben Shelton and Portuguese qualifier Nuno Borges next.

The ATP stated just after the match that Yibing Wu is the first Chinese man to win a Grand Slam singles match since Mei Fu Chi at 1959 and the first Chinese to win a singles match at the US Open since Cheng Guy at 1935 US Championships.

The 22-year-old turned professional this year, and has played only five Challengers and three Futures events this year. However, he has enjoyed some exceptional form, winning four tournaments, and currently enjoying an unbeaten streak of 14 matches – having won Challengers in Rome and Indianapolis before progressing through US Open qualifying.

US Open (Grand Slam), other first round results so far :

• Daniil Medvedev (1) beat Stefan Kozlov: 6-2, 6-4, 6-0
• Andy Murray beat Francisco Cerundolo (24): 7-5, 6-3, 6-3
• Sebastian Korda beat Facundo Bagnis (Q): 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-1
• Tommy Paul (29) beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles: 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-0, 7-5
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Yoshihito Nishioka: 6-3, 7-5, 6-3
• J.J. Wolf (WC) beat Roberto Bautista Agut (16): 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
• Alejandro Tabilo beat Kamil Majchrzak: 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1
• Arthur Rinderknech beat Quentin Halys: 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2