Jay Chou may be accustomed to commanding sold-out arenas, but his latest appearance on court at the Australian Open on Wednesday (14 Jan) was over almost as soon as it began.
Source: @australianopen on Instagram
The Taiwanese Mandopop icon, 46, made his debut at the tournament’s exhibition 1 Point Slam, where matches are decided by a single point, only to be eliminated without ever touching the ball.
Facing 24-year-old Australian player Petar Jovic in the first round at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, Chou appeared momentarily caught off guard as his opponent fired down a powerful serve.
The ball whizzed past him before he had time to react or shift into position, sealing the match with a clean ace.
Source: @australianopen on Instagram
The lone serve brought proceedings to an immediate end, marking what may be one of the shortest “performances” of Chou’s storied career.
The swift defeat also meant fans did not get to see the results of Chou’s practice sessions with tennis legend Roger Federer, whom he had trained with in Shanghai ahead of the event.
Source: @rolexshmasters on Instagram
Despite the abrupt exit, Chou took the loss in good spirits, applauding Jovic’s winning serve and flashing a thumbs-up to the crowd.
He later leaned into the moment with his trademark humour, writing on Instagram: “As expected, I was eliminated. I didn’t even get to touch the ball.”
Source: @australianopen on Instagram
And while his time on court was brief, it was not a complete loss for fans.
Spectators seated near the front were seen lowering their caps over the barriers for Chou to autograph, turning his short appearance into a memorable moment nonetheless.
Translation: As expected, I was eliminated. I didn’t even get to touch the ball. All I could do on the sidelines was help everyone sign autographs.
Source: @jaychou on Instagram
Ahead of the match, Chou stole the spotlight from top-ranked tennis stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and defending champion Jannik Sinner.
Fans arrived armed with posters cheering him on, prompting Jovic to joke that Chou was “the most famous guy in the stadium”.
Despite being best known for his musical talents and piano skills, Chou is no stranger to the tennis court.
He frequently shares videos of himself playing tennis and has been described as an accomplished amateur player.
Source: @jaychou on Instagram
Reports also suggest that he took up tennis to play alongside his seven-year-old son, Romeo, a budding tennis enthusiast.
Online reactions were largely affectionate, with many fans charmed by his brief stint on court.
One netizen wrote that Chou was “too cute”, encouraging him to keep trying despite the loss.
Translation: Jay Chou is just too cute. It’s okay, keep working hard.
Source: Instagram
Another commenter said they never expected to see him competing at the Australian Open.
Translation: I never thought there’d be a day when I’d see Jay Chou step onto the court at the Australian Open.
Source: Instagram
Others felt he still looked cool, even without returning the serve.
Translation: Even though he didn’t manage to return the ball, it doesn’t affect how cool he is.
Source: Instagram
In the end, it was Sydney native Jordan Smith who emerged victorious in the 1 Point Slam, walking away with the A$1 million (S$860,000) top prize.
Also read: Jay Chou fan in Taiwan offers S$619K house in exchange for 6 tickets for upcoming Taipei concert
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Featured image adapted from @australianopen on Instagram.