“It’s nothing like the tennis we’re used to” – Stunning comeback sees Wu Yibing defeat Taylor Fritz in UTS Los Angeles final
Yibing Wu is the 2023 UTS Los Angeles champion, downing home favourite Taylor Fritz in sudden death on Day 3
Yibing Wu, UTS Los Angeles 2023 – © Thierry Breton
China’s Wu “The Great Wall” Yibing has executed yet another stunning comeback win, defeating home favourite Taylor “The Hotshot” Fritz in sudden death at UTS Los Angeles.
Fritz began his campaign at UTS Los Angeles by losing consecutive quarters to Yibing “The Great Wall” Wu, and it looked like he’d end it with three straight quarters won against the same player in the final.
That is, until Wu Yibing got the LA crowd behind him, and executed one of the most dramatic turnaround victories of the weekend.
The two players couldn’t have taken more contrasting approaches this weekend at UTS Los Angeles. For Fritz, he made his intentions clear on Day 1, showing himself to be laser-focused on court in pursuit of the trophy that eluded him last tournament. Wu, on the other hand, was candid with the crowd, saying, “I don’t really care if I win, I’m just here to enjoy.”
Ask any sports psychologist, and they’ll tell you that the key to playing your best tennis, is being care-free and relaxed. And that’s exactly how it unfolded for Wu Yibing.
“I don’t think I’m under pressure”
It seemed as though the Chinese player was down and out, having lost a tight opening quarter then failing to come close in the second. At one stage, Wu even opted to sit down on the court during the match, simply to catch his breath.
“Enjoy guys, this might be the last quarter,” The Great Wall said heading into the third quarter. “I don’t think I’m under pressure, no pressure for me. Just here to enjoy, try my best.”
However, as Wu explained after the match, “I think the key is, I took some rest on the court. When you’re tired, you’ve just got to sit.”
Back-to-back quarter wins saw The Great Wall draw level with Fritz at 2-2, forcing his fourth sudden death in five matches this weekend.
“I don’t know why I always put myself in these situations,” Wu declared, before encouraging the crowd to support Fritz instead of him. “I think he’s the guy, he’s the one you should back. Such a good home boy.”
But with ice in his veins, Wu Yibing defended a championship point and closed out the match, winning the UTS Los Angeles title in a match that featured jumping tweeners, left-handed shots and multiple impromptu sit downs.
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