From August 15 to August 17, the 2024 Sino-U.S. University Tennis Friendship Competition was successfully held at the Qizhong Tennis Center. The event attracted participants from ten universities in the United States, including Dartmouth College and Boston University, as well as students and faculty from our university, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Southwest University, and Shanghai University. Together, they used tennis as a medium to showcase youth and vitality.
During the opening ceremony, Ms. Zhang Lingling from our university delivered a welcome speech as the representative coach for the Chinese team and conducted the racket-passing ceremony.
Team Matches
On the afternoon of August 15, the team matches of the Sino-American Friendship Tournament kicked off at the indoor venue of the Qizhong Tennis Center. Although our university's undergraduate student Deng Zhaohua from the College of Business faced defeat in the first match, he performed excellently at a critical moment, saving two match points and winning the match 7:5. This helped the Chinese men's team turn the tide and ultimately win the men’s team championship by defeating the American team 2:1.
In the women's team matches, Zhang Qingyang from the College of Business delivered a steady performance and was aggressive in her play, achieving a significant victory with a score of 6:2. The Chinese women's team then triumphed over the American team 2:1, securing the women's team championship.
Individual Matches
On August 16, the individual matches took place at the Xuhui campus of East China University of Science and Technology. In the men’s singles, Deng Zhaohua narrowly lost in the semifinals to a player from Williams College. Nevertheless, he showcased a spirit of resilience and hard work.
In the women’s singles, Zhang Qingyang adeptly responded to opponents with different styles of play. In the semifinals, she faced a player from Dartmouth College, who had a background of six ITF singles championships. Zhang Qingyang delivered an outstanding performance at crucial moments, eventually winning 6:2 to advance to the final.
On the morning of August 17, the final match was held amidst great anticipation. In the women’s singles final, Zhang Qingyang engaged in a fierce battle against an opponent from Rutgers University. The score was tightly held at 4:4, but with guidance from Ms. Zhang, Zhang Qingyang seized opportunities and gradually gained the upper hand, ultimately winning 6:4 and claiming the women’s singles championship.
In this tournament, our university team achieved remarkable results, demonstrating the excellent demeanor and spirit of hard work of the students at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. We look forward to their continued efforts in future competitions, creating further successes and bringing more honors to our university.
