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Yunchaokete Bu tennis news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
China's Bu Yunchaokete, ranked 124th, stunned 12th-seeded Rafael Jodar 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 at the US Open. He became the first lucky loser in the Open Era to beat a top-15.
Background
Bu Yunchaokete entered the US Open as a lucky loser after Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew, replacing him in the draw. He had never won a Grand Slam match before, going 0-6 in previous attempts. His dominant victory over Jodar, who is ranked 13th, was a major upset and marked his first win at a major.
How it unfolded
- Sep 1, 2026Thanasi Kokkinakis withdraws from the US Open, and Bu Yunchaokete is reinstated as a lucky loser to face Rafael Jodar.
- Sep 2, 2026Bu Yunchaokete defeats Rafael Jodar 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 in the first round, winning his first Grand Slam match.
- Sep 3, 2026Bu Yunchaokete is scheduled to play Michael Zheng in the second round.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Bu's performance was dominant, as he held all service games and Jodar never earned a break point.
- Public
- Fans and media noted the surprising nature of the upset, given Bu's ranking and lack of prior Grand Slam wins.