Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province – 28-year-old Zhang Zhizhen staged a thrilling comeback to beat wildcard Buyunchaokete in a marathon opening-round match at the ATP Hangzhou Open. After nearly three hours of play, Zhang held on to win 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(3), booking his spot in the second round.
The two home favourites treated the crowd to a display of power and precision. In the first set, both held serve through nine games, and despite Zhang earning two set points at 5-4, Buyunchaokete fought back to force a tiebreak, which he took 7-2.
Zhang bounced back in the second set, breaking serve at 5-4 after capitalizing on his opponent's errors and closing out a love game to level the match. The final set mirrored the ebb and flow, with Buyunchaokete twice holding match points at 5-4.
With remarkable composure, Zhang saved both match points on serve, pushed the set into another tiebreak and claimed four straight points from 2-2. He sealed the victory with an ace, triumphing after 2 hours and 47 minutes on court.
Next up for the Chinese mainland standout is Dalibor Svrcina of the Czech Republic, as he looks to harness this momentum and continue his charge in a tournament that has been the launching pad for local talent.
Reference(s):
Zhang Zhizhen rallies to beat Buyunchaokete at ATP Hangzhou Open
cgtn.com
