Despite a thrilling 2-1 loss to defending champions Germany in Group E on Monday, China has secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the United Cup in Perth, Australia.
The pivotal match saw China's Zhang Zhizhen face off against World No. 2 Alexander Zverev in the men's singles. Zhang started strong, breaking Zverev's serve in the first and seventh games to take a commanding 5-2 lead in the first set. Although Zverev fought back, saving two set points in the eighth game, Zhang clinched the first set 6-2.
Zverev, however, demonstrated his elite form by dominating the second set, winning six consecutive games to level the match at 1-1. The third set was fiercely contested, with both players holding their serve in the early games. Ultimately, Zverev broke Zhang twice in the sixth and eighth games, closing the set 6-2 and securing the victory for Germany.
Despite the loss, China's overall performance in the group stage was strong enough to propel them into the knockout rounds, highlighting their growth and competitiveness in international tennis.
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China advance to United Cup knockout stage despite loss to Germany
cgtn.com