Shang Juncheng of China reacts after scoring in the 2023 French Open men's singles qualifer match against Renzo Olivo of Argentina in Paris, France, May 25, 2023./CFP
Shang Juncheng of China has secured qualification for the men's singles tournament of the French Open this year after beating Renzo Olivo of Argentina 2-1 (6-3, 2-6 and 6-4) on Thursday. He will join Wu Yibing and Zhang Zhizhen to compete at Roland Garros from May 28 to June 11.
For the first time in history, there are three players from the Chinese mainland that will appear in the men's singles competitions for two straight Grand Slam tournaments.
Wu Yibing of China competes in the Geneva Open men's singles first-round match against Marc-Andrea Huesler of Switzerland in Geneva, Switzerland, May 22, 2023. /CFP
Shang made his Grand Slam debut in the Australian Open in January and defeated Oscar Otte of Germany 3-1 (6-2, 6-4, 6-7 and 7-5) in the first round. His opponent in the first-round match at the French Open has not been confirmed yet.
Wu will play the No. 19 seed, Roberto Bautista Agut, of Spain in the first round. The two haven't faced each other before. This will be Wu's first appearance in the French Open. His best record in the Grand Slam events is reaching the third-round in the U.S. Open in 2022.
Zhang Zhizhen of China competes in the Lyon Open men's singles first-round match against Arthur Fils in Lyon, France, May 23, 2023. /CFP
Zhang Zhizhen's opponent will be Dusan Lajovic of Serbia. It will be their first faceoff as well. Qualifying for the French Open this year has completed Zhang Zhizhen's Grand Slam participation record after appearing in the Australian Open in January, the Wimbledon in 2021 and the U.S. Open in 2022.
Five female players from the Chinese mainland will compete in the women's singles matches at Roland Garros: Zheng Qinwen, Zhang Shuai, Zhu Lin, Wang Xinyu and Wang Xiyu.
Zheng Qinwe of China practices ahead of the French Open women's singles first-round match at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 23, 2023. /CFP
Zheng, as the tournament's No. 19, is still waiting for his opponent in the first round to be confirmed. Last year, she set her career best Grand Slam record by advancing to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros.
Zhang Shuai of China competes in the WTA Qatar TotalEnergies Open women's singles first-round match against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, February 14, 2023. /CFP
Zhang Shuai is the No. 29 seed and will play Magdalena Frech of Poland in the first round. The two faced each other once before when Zhang Shuai defeated Frech 2-1 (7-5 and 6-3) in the Japan Women's Open in Hiroshima, Japan, in 2018.
Wang Xinyu of China competes in the Miami Open women's singles second-round match against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, March 24, 2023. /CFP
Wang Xinyu will face the No. 31 seed, Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic in the first round. They haven't played each other before. This is the second edition of the French Open that Wang Xinyu has participated in. She lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 0-2 (4-6 and 1-6) in the first round last year.
Zhu Lin of China competes in the GNP Seguros WTA Monterrey Open women's singles semifinals against Donna Vekic of Croatia at Estadio GNP Seguros in Monterrey, Mexico, March 4, 2023. /CFP
Zhu Lin's first opponent will be Lauren Davis of the U.S.. They haven't faced each other before. Zhu will be seeking her first breakthrough from the first round in her fourth trip at Roland Garros.
Wang Xiyu of China competes in the Internazionali BNL D'Italia women's singles Round of 16 match against Zheng Qinwe of China at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, May 15, 2023. /CFP
Wang Xiyu has the toughest opponents in the first round as she will challenge the tournament's No. 5 seed, Caroline Garcia of France. It will be the first match between the two. Wang Xiyu reached the second round in the Australian Open and the third round in the U.S. Open last year.