[NH Nonghyup·Akyung Rookie Tennis] "I will dance my way to the Shanghai Masters"

Men's Doubles Champions Choi Jun-young and Kim Ji-hwan

"I will dance the twist in Shanghai."

Kim Ji-hwan (20), who won the men's doubles title at the 2024 NH Nonghyup Bank·Asia Economy All One Rookie Tennis Festival, expressed his joy at being able to watch the Shanghai Masters this way. Together with his senior from the university club, Choi Jun-young, he achieved his first victory in an amateur tournament on their fourth attempt. They said that although they had experienced winning in university club tennis tournaments, this was their first win in an amateur competition.

Ji-hwan currently serves as the president of the Sejong University tennis club. He started learning tennis when he entered university last year and has been playing for two years.

Jun-young began playing tennis during the COVID-19 period as a way to find an exercise he could do, and he has been learning tennis for three years.

The second day of the 2024 NH Nonghyup Bank·Asia Economy All-Won Rookie Tennis Festival was held on the 9th at the tennis courts of Nonghyup University in Goyang City. Choi Young (right) and Kim Ji-hwan, who won the men's division, are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Currently, the Sejong University tennis club has about 120 members. Reflecting the popularity of tennis among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z), the number of club members has significantly increased over the past few years.

Ji-hwan said, "There are about 2 to 3 seniors from the class of 2017, about 5 to 6 seniors from the class of 2018, but the numbers have increased since the class of 2019. There are more than 10 seniors from 2019, and about 20 members from my class, 2023."

Both Ji-hwan and Jun-young started playing tennis influenced by their parents who enjoyed tennis as a sport. Jun-young said, "Tennis is so fun that it's hard to quit," adding, "This is the first sport I've ever been so passionate about."

Ji-hwan said, "I like sports and have tried various ball games such as soccer, baseball, golf, and table tennis," adding, "Tennis requires the most physical activity and there is no sport like it."

At the Shanghai Masters, Ji-hwan wants to see Ga?l Monfils (France, 38), while Jun-young chose Jannik Sinner (Italy, 23) and Daniil Medvedev (Russia, 28).