Zhang Zhizhen made history at the Mutua Madrid Open, where he became the first Chinese player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. The 26-year-old accomplished the feat in style, saving three match points to rally past eighth seed Taylor Fritz.
“Before the match I didn’t even think I was going to be here in the second week of Madrid,” said Zhang, who also upset Cameron Norrie in the third round. “Now I made it!”
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It is a massive accomplishment for a player who was never expected to be here. Zhang’s close friend Wu Yibing, the highest-ranked Chinese man in history, was junior World No. 1, as was countryman Shang Juncheng. They were much more highly touted than Zhang, according to Chinese tennis reporter Zhang Bendou.
“What makes Zhizhen unique and different is first, he was never a prodigy, let alone junior World No. 1 like Wu and Shang,” he said. “He never played a junior Grand Slam, he didn’t have a high junior ranking. However, he is not a small-town boy either. He comes from Shanghai. His father is a famous soccer star.”
Zhang’s father is Zhang WeiHua, who was a defender for Shanghai ShenHua. When he was young, his father gave him three options: study, swim or play tennis. Zhang’s life in tennis began by process of elimination.
Photo/CGTNSportsScene/X
ATP Tour contributed this column
