China’s Wu Yibing completed his return from injury by clinching the title at the ATP Tour’s Jinan Challenger after defeating Japan’s Rio Noguchi in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 in the final on Saturday.

Competing in his first tournament since an ATP 250-level event in Houston four months ago, Wu demonstrated his strong serving ability en route to finishing the championship contest with seven aces.

The 24-year-old converted a crucial break in the 12th game of the first set and claimed the frame 7-5.

In the second set, the Hangzhou native surged to a 5-0 lead before going on to close things out 6-3 and secure the trophy.

The victory marks Wu’s fifth Challenger Tour trophy, following his historic win at last year’s Dallas Open, which made him the first man from the Chinese mainland to claim an ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) title.

Injuries have since hindered his progress, but Wu says he is eager to return to peak form.

“First and foremost, I felt more relaxed here, and even though I haven’t fully regained my control over the pace of the game, my physical condition has been gradually improving,” Wu said.

“In this match, I was able to defeat my opponent by leveraging my strength in serving. After recovering from injury, my serving has improved, which is a testament to the hard work I put in during training. So I hope to stay healthy and play well in the upcoming matches,” he concluded.

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