Fudan finished second at Men’s Team Tennis Tournament (Division A, University Group) in 2024 Shanghai Student Games held on November 23 and 24. Angel Stefanov, a junior economics major from Bulgaria, joined forces with his teammates to play on behalf of Fudan.

“I’m a professional tennis player and used to compete in tournaments back in Bulgaria,” Angel said. After arriving at Fudan, he enrolled in the university’s tennis course in Spring 2023. “At first, I just wanted to play sports and maybe connect with other players,” he explained.

It didn’t take long for Angel’s talent to catch the eye of his instructor, ZHANG Zhen, who later became his coach. Zhang invited him to join the university’s tennis team. “I love Fudan, I love tennis, and I thrive on competition. Joining the team felt like a natural step,” Angel recalled.

Language, often a hurdle for international students, proved no barrier. “Tennis itself is a universal language,” he noted. “Plus, I’ve picked up a few Chinese tennis terms along the way, which has been a lot of fun.”

The tournament followed a rigorous format, starting with 26 teams divided into 9 groups in the opening round. Each group played elimination matches, with only one team advancing to the quarterfinals. From there, the competition intensified, with teams battling through two singles and one doubles match simultaneously in the knockout rounds.

“The semifinal was incredibly intense, but we managed to pull through,” Angel said. Fudan ultimately faced Shanghai Jiao Tong University in a nail-biting final, narrowly missing out on the championship title.

Angel specially thanked BAO Chongyuan, JIN Zhiwei, WU Lingyu and other teammates. “We fight for every point, and we’re also friends who chat and hang out together,” he said. Representing Fudan gave him a sense of belonging.

“I wasn’t at my best, which is a bit disappointing,” he admitted. “But I’m determined to come again next year.”

▍Presented by Fudan University Media Center

▍Writer: WANG Jingyang

▍Editor: WANG Mengqi, LI Yijie

▍Designer: CHEN Shuyang