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By Scoop Malinowski

Wu Yibing is the ITF number one junior in the world and fresh off the junior US Open and Shanghai Challenger titles (where he defeated Peter Polansky and ATP 62 Yen-Hsen Lu in the final). Wu lost in the first round as a wildcard this week to Gilles Simon in straight sets but the seventeen year old’s recent exploits have caught the eye of Roger Federer.

“I maybe saw two points from him yesterday, so it would be wrong for me to comment on his game yet, but I was aware that he did win the US Open,” said Federer at his Shanghai press conference. “Didn’t know he became world No. 1 junior. So if that’s what he is at the moment, I hope he can finish that for himself at the end of the year. Maybe he’s going to the Orange Bowl. I’m not sure.”

Federer, the ATP no. 2 ranked player said he sees a few parallels between young Wu and the teenage version of himself. “It’s definitely a great starting point (for Wu). For him to play in a tournament like this and starting to play against the best, that’s what I did in ’98, as well. I played some juniors and then got some wildcards into some main draws, played some qualies, played some Challengers. And you get a feel for it, the week in, week out, playing against men, really. It’s a different energy you need, a different experience you need.”

“So I think here now it’s about improving every single day. It sounds a bit crazy or a bit kitsch. But it really is like this. I think at this age you see things that maybe other players are doing on the court, off the court, and you can observe and learn.”

“So I think that’s really important of him. And then for him to choose the right things to take on board for his game and for his life, because you can also look at the wrong things that players are doing. That can then mislead you sometimes in the wrong direction, so this is where the team is really important where they remind you, as well, what’s the difference between right and wrong.”

Federer did not stop there. His generosity of valuable instruction for Wu continued. “And then just understanding where is your game best at. Is it indoors, is it hard carts, clay court, grass court, is it in Europe, in Asia? Where does he play his best? And finding that out takes a few years. Everything goes faster if you have the right team around yourself. And of course you have to listen to your coaches and parents and put your head down and work extremely hard and just enjoy the process doing that.”

Wu, currently ranked 323 and sponsored by Nike shoes, attire and Head racquets, splits his training time between Spain and China. His Spanish coach says he plays like a more aggressive Gael Monfils but Wu himself says he tries to pattern his game after Andy Murray.

Simon senses a bright future for Wu. After their Monday match, the French veteran said of Wu, “When he was in the zone, he hit fantastic winners, especially down-the-line. As he improves, he’ll be hard to beat.”

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