Shang, a slightly-built lefty, reached three tour-level semifinals in 2024, persevering with on to the ultimate in Chengdu the place he surprised world No.19 and high seed Lorenzo Musetti within the closing.
“It’s really, really special for me,” stated Shang, who peaked at world No.47 in October. “Especially to do it at residence.”
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
Ranking at begin of 2024: 256
Ranking at finish of 2024: 72
Difference: +184
The former world No.1, an Australian Open champion in 2018, is now a mom of two. But that actually didn’t cease the Danish star from thriving on the massive stage.
She bought higher as her Grand Slam season unfolded, bettering on her AO 2024 second-round end with a run to the third spherical at Wimbledon. She then returned to the fourth spherical of the US Open for the second straight yr.
Elsewhere, Wozniacki was a quarterfinalist at Indian Wells and scored spectacular wins over Elina Sviotlina, Leylah Fernandez and Donna Vekic.
After starting the season outdoors the world’s high 250, the 34-year-old was again inside the highest 70 by July.
Jakub Mensik (CZE)
Ranking at begin of 2024: 167
Ranking at finish of 2024: 48
Difference: +119
Mensik is perhaps simply 19 years previous, however the strapping Czech performs with an influence and composure past his years.
The AO 2022 junior finalist received greater than 40 matches this yr, a spotlight being an look in his first ATP closing in Doha.
Later within the season he notched back-to-back quarterfinals in Shanghai and Vienna, the place he pushed top-10 opponents Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur to 3 units, respectively.
The Vienna end result, which he achieved as a qualifier, elevated him inside the highest 50 for the primary time, progress helped by 4 top-10 wins in 2024.
He closed the season by qualifying in third place for the Next Gen ATP Finals, an occasion open to the world’s high eight males aged 21 and beneath.
Lulu Sun (NZL)
Ranking at begin of 2024: 214
Ranking at finish of 2024: 40
Difference: +174
Coverage of Lulu Sun’s Wimbledon run blew up in New Zealand, the place she was born to a Chinese mom and Croatian father.
The 23-year-old, who got here via the US faculty system, translated her highly effective, aggressive recreation completely to the lawns of The All England Club.
There, she superior to the quarterfinals after starting within the qualifying rounds, a run of seven straight match wins that included upsets of No.8 seed Zheng Qinwen and residential favorite Emma Raducanu on Centre Court.
MORE: Lulu Sun, Kiwi qualifier with international connections, into Wimbledon quarters
That end result boosted her to the cusp of the highest 50, and she or he saved her momentum going, advancing to her first WTA closing in Monterrey in August.
Earlier in 2024 Sun received a pair of huge ITF titles and ended the season with nearly 40 match wins.
Yunchaokete Bu (CHN)
Ranking at begin of 2024: 171
Ranking at finish of 2024: 65
Difference: +106
China had no scarcity of tennis tales to have fun in 2024, and one other success got here within the type of Yunchaokete.
In the primary seven months of the season, the 22-year-old reached 4 ATP Challenger finals, successful two. He then received three rounds of qualifying on the US Open to make his Grand Slam main-draw debut.
Those outcomes put him on the point of the highest 100, and it was on residence soil the place he rose additional; back-to-back semifinals at ATP occasions in Hangzhou (250) and Beijing (500) helped him crack the highest 70.
He scored his greatest win of the season, over world No.6 Andrey Rublev, within the Beijing quarters.
According to his ATP bio, his “full name is Buyunchaokete, but (he) goes by Bu or his American name, Bert.”