Shang Juncheng, Arthur Fils on the sports influence of parents | ATP Tour

Features Player

Shang, Fils show the influence of parents in sports

Both the stars will compete in the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF

December 17, 2024

You could argue that Shang Juncheng was born to be an elite athlete.

The Chinese star has solidified himself as one of the brightest prospects on the ATP Tour in 2024, rising to a career-high number 47 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Dealing with a meteoric rise can be difficult for any young talent, but Shang has none, but two former sports figures are on hand to offer sage advice – his parents, former soccer player Shang Yi and former table tennis player Wu Na .

“I think I’m where I am because of them,” Shang told ATPTour.com on Tuesday in Jeddah ahead of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, where he will compete as the fourth seed. “I think that for each player, parents are the most important. At the end of the day, it’s the people around you – your team, your coach, your family – I think they’re the most important to me.

“They really understand what it’s like to be a professional athlete. We always clash about things. It’s never perfect, and there are ups and downs for sure, but at the end of the day we try not to mess it up. It’s more about explaining your feelings and expressing how you feel on the court, and what you need to improve. In the end, it’s all about communication.”

Regular communication from the parent was also important in the development of Arthur Fils. The Frenchman may not have a pro parent, but his father played basketball at a high level as a child. Jean-Philippe Fils has passed his competitive edge on to his son, who is now a Top 20 player at just 20 years old.

“It’s always been the same,” said top player Jeddah Fils when asked about any important advice her father has given her about her tennis. “Same sentence, but it always made sense. ‘Never give up’, give 100 percent and we’ll see, and you don’t come to the court to participate, you come to the court to win.”

Both Fils and Shang have already done much of that. The Frenchman extended his tour-level title haul to three in 2024 with ATP 500 victories in Hamburg and Tokyo, while Shang made a breakthrough in Chengdu, where he became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour title on home soil. Even if following up that early success is difficult, the 19-year-old knows she can always turn to a positive family situation.

“The most important thing is that they never put pressure on me, win or lose,” said Shang. “It’s always part of the game, and as athletes I think they know it’s part of the game. To enjoy myself and try 100 percent is all they wanted, even now that I turned professional last year. They want me to have fun, in general, and have fun on the court.

“One of the biggest pieces of advice they gave me is that I should try to focus every day. You don’t just become an amazing player with one practice. Some players, they work hard every day for their goals, for their dreams. That’s what my parents tell me every day: ‘Hey Jerry, you had a good day today, but tomorrow you have to do it again. Do it again and again, and you’ll be a better person and a better player’.”

There are many examples of children of athletes following their parents in the same sport: From NBA star Bronny James (son of LeBron James) to NFL stars Eli and Peyton Manning (sons of Archie Manning) and ATP Tour players like Casper Ruud. and Sebastian Korda. Fils and Shang may not be playing the same sport as their different sports parents, but they still have a firsthand knowledge of their skills.

“[My dad] he played basketball until he was 18 years old. When he played, he was very good,” said No. 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings Fils. “I have never seen him play, but sometimes we go to play together. When we play, you definitely win in basketball. One hundred percent. I can say my father [physically] It’s a blast, and I can say that I have this from him.

“My parents played a big role in my upbringing, maybe the biggest. Yes, on the court I’m the one playing with the racquet, but they always support me and help me a lot. They have a big role to play.”

Arthur Fils” style=”width: 100%;” src=”

Jean-Philippe Fils and Arthur Fils playing basketball. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Meanwhile Shang admits that he cannot match China’s former world champion Yi in football, or two-time mixed world champion Wu in tennis. However, he says the time he spends playing with them is the key to his competitiveness.

“I have played football with my father and table tennis with my mother,” said Shang. “Obviously I’m not as good as them. When I face my mother, if I’m lucky, I win a point! Every player, every athlete, whatever sport you do, the goal is to win. To be the best player on the field or to be the best player in the world. I think it’s a competitive style, I got it from them.”