Buyun Chaokete: Streamlined 2026 schedule with new coach to unlock his potential

On January 16th Beijing time, Chinese player Buyun Chaokete participated in a pre-tournament interview at the Australian Open, where he discussed his new season preparations, team updates, and changes in his competition schedule, expressing excitement for the forthcoming Australian Open campaign.

Despite being knocked out in the first round of the ATP Hong Kong qualifying event in the first week of the year, Buyun Chaokete earned a significant victory yesterday in the Kuayan exhibition match against a top ten player (Bublik). Regarding his current form, he said: “I played well in yesterday’s exhibition. Coming into the Australian Open, both my physical and mental states are excellent. Our team has done a great job since winter training. Although the start of the year in Hong Kong didn’t go smoothly, we have adjusted very well and noticed many areas of improvement.”

As a “first-year tour player,” Buyun Chaokete completed a fairly full 2025 season, especially competing almost continuously in the first half, which led to physical exhaustion during the second half, particularly in the Chinese season. He stated that he plans to modify his competition schedule for the new season: “Now I prioritize health more. I want to compete at 100%, or even beyond, and be mentally very fresh. So this year, my schedule will be shorter and more concise, resting for 2 to 3 weeks, then playing for 3 to 4 weeks before returning.”

Regarding his competition plans after the Australian Open, he revealed that he will first return to China to participate in the Davis Cup, then head to Europe for one or two indoor tournaments, followed by the Sunshine Double in March.

Although his world ranking has dropped compared to the same time last year, and he secured his main draw spot at this Australian Open through winning the Asia-Pacific wildcard playoff, Buyun Chaokete expressed strong confidence in his current tennis level. When analyzing the gap between himself and top players, he said: “I think the difference with top 50 or top 30 players is not that big within an hour and a half to two hours. We have great confidence in our tennis skills; it’s more about being firmer and more confident when opportunities arise and you don’t know how to handle them.”

During this past winter training period, Buyun Chaokete welcomed a new team member — Swedish tennis star Lindstedt, whose highest doubles ranking was No. 3. Speaking about the team changes, Buyun said: “I hope the coach can bring out more of my natural talents because my playing style and training resemble that of Spanish players. Before I was fifteen or sixteen, I trained more according to Chinese player philosophies. So I want to find more aspects that belong to Asians, or natural, innate qualities. Lindstedt has achieved a lot in doubles and has brought me many ideas from a different perspective.”

After Wu Yibing qualified, together with Zhang Zhizhen, Shang Juncheng, and Buyun Chaokete, a total of four players will compete in the men’s singles main draw at this Australian Open, setting a record for the highest number of mainland Chinese male players participating in the tournament’s history. This achievement makes Buyun Chaokete quite proud.

“I think we are very strong. Although we cannot yet compare with powerhouse countries, having four players here in Asia is very rare. I hope more of our players can participate. I believe history can be rewritten, and we should aim to match countries like the United States or Spain.”

Buyun Chaokete’s first-round opponent at this Australian Open is the 21st seed Shapovalov, whom he holds in high regard: “I have trained with him once or twice. He is a very fierce, very American-style player. When he’s playing well, you really can’t do much. I hope to cause him more trouble and focus on serving well and doing what I’m supposed to.”

(Edited by Wang Fei)