Shang Juncheng and Arthur Fils talk about the influence of parents on sports | ATP Tour

Player features

Shan and Phils reflect on parents' influence on sport

Both stars will compete in the 2024 Next Generation ATP Finals hosted by PIF

December 17, 2024

It can be said that Shang Juncheng was born to become an excellent athlete.

The Chinese star has firmly established himself as one of the most promising players on the ATP Tour in 2024, during which time he has surged to a career-high No. 47 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Dealing with a rapid rise can be tough for any young talent, but Shang has not one but two former professional athletes who can offer sage advice – his parents, former footballer Shang Yi and former table tennis player Wu Na.

“I think I'm where I am today because of them,” Shang told ATPTour.com in an interview on Tuesday in Jeddah, where he will compete as the fourth seed ahead of the Next Generation ATP Finals hosted by PIF. “I think parents are the most important thing for every player. At the end of the day, it's the people around you – your team, your coaches, your family – I think they're the most important to me. important.

“They definitely have a good understanding of what it's like to be a professional athlete. We always clash on something. It's never going to be perfect, and there's definitely going to be ups and downs, but ultimately we try not to let it become an argument. Describe your own feelings. , expressing how you feel on the court and what you need to improve on, at the end of the day, it’s just communication.

Regular communication from parents was also crucial to Arthur Fells' development. The Frenchman's parents may not have played professional sports, but his father played basketball at a high level as a teenager. Jean-Philippe Fils passed on his competitive edge to his son, who is now a top 20 player at just 20 years old.

“It's always the same,” said Fiers, the top seed in Jeddah, when asked about any important tennis advice his father gave him. “Although it's the same sentence, it always makes sense. 'Never give up', give 100% effort, we'll see what happens. You don't play to participate, you play to win.

Fils and Shang have done a lot of this. In 2024, the Frenchman took his ATP 500 title in Hamburg and Tokyo to take his total number of Tour titles to three, while Shang broke through in Chengdu and became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour title on home soil. Although the early success was tough, the 19-year-old knew he could always turn to a positive family environment.

“The most important thing is, whether I win or lose, they never put any pressure on me,” Shang said. “It's always part of the game and as athletes I think they know it's part of the game. For me, enjoying life and trying hundreds is what they want, even now I just turned pro last year .They want me to have fun overall and have fun on the court.

“One of the biggest pieces of advice they gave me was that I had to work hard and focus day after day. You don't become a great player just through one practice. The other players, they work every day for their goals , work hard for your dreams. This is what my parents tell me every day: “Hey, Jerry, you have a good day, but the next day you have to repeat it over and over again, and you will be.” A better person and a better player.

<!–

–>
<!–

–>
<!–

–>

There are many examples of children of athletes following their parents into the same sport: from NBA star Bronny James (son of LeBron James) to NFL stars Eli Manning and Peyton Manning (sons of Archie Manning) ) and ATP Tour players Casper Rudd and Sebastian Korda. Fils and Shang may not play the same sports as their respective athletic parents, but they still have first-hand experience of what they're capable of.

“[My dad] “He played basketball until he was 18. When he played, he played pretty well,” said Fiers, No. 20 in the PIF ATP rankings. “I never saw him play, but sometimes we would go play together. When we played, he would win at basketball games. One hundred percent. I would say my dad is [physically] Pretty explosive, I would say that's what I got from him.

“My parents definitely played a big role in my upbringing, maybe the biggest. Of course, I was the one playing ball and holding the racket on the court, but they always supported me and helped me a lot. They played a big role in important role.

<img alt="Arthur Firth” style=”width: 100%;” src=”