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Taiwanese teen to turn pro after semi-final ouster

Yang Tsung-hua’s aspirations of winning a second boys singles Grand Slam title came to an end in New York on Friday but the 17-year-old will now turn his attention to an even bigger dream — making it as a pro on the ATP Tour.

Yang, who had struggled to two consecutive three-set comeback wins to reach the US Open boys singles semi-finals, could not pull out a third on Friday, falling in the semis to third-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.

Dimitrov had not lost a set in the tournament prior to his showdown with the top-seeded Yang and used a powerful serve to take control of the match and keep his Taiwanese opponent under pressure.

It was also his serve that allowed Dimitrov to regain the momentum after falling behind 2-0 in the decisive third set.

A change in venue may have also helped the Bulgarian.

With Tropical Storm Hanna set to hit the New York area late on Saturday afternoon, tournament organizers decided to move the junior matches to indoor courts in Port Chester, New York, about 40 minutes away from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.

“I couldn’t get used to the courts. I don’t play very well indoors,” said a disappointed Yang, who complained that the limited space behind the baseline caused him to run out of room when he tried to run down shots.

Yang also admitted, however, that his serve and forehand let him down and understood they were areas that will need to be improved after he joins the pro ranks.

“My serve and my forehand both have to get better. They’re too weak and don’t feel like professional strokes,” Yang said, who also pointed to the need to improve the precision of his attacking shots and his ability to return serves to the corners as key to his future success.

He discounted soreness he felt in his right shoulder as a factor in his defeat, saying it was “OK” and “not serious.”

The challenge for Yang now will be to make the transition to the professional ranks, a process that has proven an insurmountable obstacle to many talented juniors.

Yang’s coach Chen Nan, who believed Yang ran out of gas on Friday after playing three set matches the two previous days, said improved conditioning will be a major priority for a player whose nickname is “chubby.”

Still, Yang has already reached a ranking of 479 in the world after reaching the semi-finals of three lower tier Futures events this year.

If he can rediscover the attacking forehand that disappeared at the US Open and improve his physical conditioning and mental toughness as he matures, he could be one of the few male tennis players from Taiwan to make a successful transition to the pro game.
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