Wu wins China first boys` grand slam title at U.S. Open

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Wu Yibing gave China its first boys&rsquo- grand slam singles champion at the U.S. Open on Sunday, hailing his triumph at Flushing Meadows as proof that his country&rsquo-s males were also capable of playing good tennis.

China&rsquo-s success in tennis has previously been almost exclusively the province of its women, most notably through Li Na&rsquo-s two grand slam titles at the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open.

Wu capped a highly successful week in New York by beating Argentine top seed Axel Geller 6-4 6-4 to add the junior singles title to the boys&rsquo- doubles crown he won with Taiwan&rsquo-s Hsu Yu-hsiou on Saturday.

&ldquo-I think this is showing ourselves and showing the world Chinese boys can be good – and Chinese men,&rdquo- the 17-year-old told reporters.

&ldquo-I&lsquo-m really happy to win the doubles and singles here. It&rsquo-s for China. It&rsquo-s for me. Xie xie (thank you).&rdquo-

Wu, who trains in China and Spain, became only the second Asian to win the title after India&rsquo-s Leander Paes in 1991 despite struggling to close out the match.

Serving for the title at 5-2 in the second set, Wu blew six championship points before finally converting his seventh in his following service game.

&ldquo-That was tough,&rdquo- he said. &ldquo-My hand was shaking and the only thing I could do was try to recover after that and I think I did well in the second service game.&rdquo-

Although a long list of now forgotten former U.S Open boys&rsquo- champions indicates that winning the title is no guarantee of a place at the top of the game, Wu&rsquo-s predecessors have included Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov.

Wu said he would head straight back home to play in a Challenger Tour event, adding that his immediate ambition was to break through a rankings barrier no Chinese man has previously breached.

&ldquo-Top 100, the first goal, easy,&rdquo- he laughed.