ITF

TSENG CHUN HSIN Nicknamed 'The Machine' in some circles due to his relentless approach to the game, Tseng Chun Hsin brought the curtain down on his 2018 season by singing on stage at the ITF Junior Masters Farewell Dinner in October. He was a beaten finalist in Chengdu, but his exploits since the beginning of the camapgin ensured he was omnipotent when it came to the year-end No. 1 rankings and was the clear winner of the boys' ITF World Junior Champion title. "It is an amazing feeling to finish the year as world No. 1 and ITF World Champion," said the 17-year-old, who received $25,000 in early 2018 as part of the first wave of ITF International Junior Player Grants. "I think I had a really good year, winning the Wimbledon and Roland Garros boys' singles titles are some of the best moments I have experienced so far. "It also gives me the confidence going into the professional game. The main goal for 2019 is to train well and become stronger, both mentally and physically." Tseng, of Chinese Taipei, is no shrinking violet and in a previous interview with itftennis.com retorted: "To be the No. 1 guy in the world" when asked about his ambitions for the future, and 2018 did little to douse such aspiration. The teenager's year began in sparkling fashion, although there was ultimate disappointment, as he reached the Junior Australian Open final in Melbourne, only to lose to American Sebastian Korda in straight sets. Tseng would have his Grand Slam revenge over Korda, beating his rival in the semifinals of Roland Garros in June, a victory which paved the way for a showdown with top seed Sebastian Baez. Tseng, who along with compatriot Ray Ho was a beaten doubles finalist in Paris, prevailed 76(5) 62. His prowess on clay was evident for all to see as he navigated the entre boys' singles draw without dropping a set. His breakthrough triumph at Roland Garros, however, was merely a sign of things to come. Such mastery of a surface was replicated on the grass of Wimbledon a little over a month later as Tseng blitzed his way to the final, during which he dropped his only set of the tournament against Great Britain's Jack Draper. Victory, however, was his. Tseng, who shares an August birthday with Roger Federer, became the only boy since Gael Monfils in 2004 to secure a Roland Garros-Wimbledon double and the first to win back-to-back Grand Slams since Filip Peliwo six years previously. A further run to the latter stages of a Grand Slam occurred at the US Open in New York, where Tseng progressed to the last four before being ousted by eventual champion Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil. In addition to his dominance of the junior game, Tseng also flexed his muscle in the professional arena during 2018 and chalked up wins at the Vietnam F1 Futures, Portugal F9 Futures and Chinese Taipei F2 Futures. Such an output during the past 12 months hints at a bright future for Tseng, who is the first player from Chinese Taipei to be named boys' ITF Junior World Champion since Yang Tsung-Hua a decade ago. ➝ ITFWorld // WINTER 2018 09 "It is an amazing feeling to finish the year as world No.1 and ITF World Champion" T S E N G C H U N H S I N

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