In an electrifying semifinal match at the Hangzhou Open in Zhejiang Province, China, Zhang Zhizhen triumphed over Bu Yunchaokete with a score of 7-6(3), 6-4, securing his first-ever spot in an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour final.
The match was fiercely contested, with Bu converting more break points (4-2) than Zhang. However, Zhang's ability to win crucial points, particularly during the first-set tiebreaker, proved decisive. Demonstrating true sportsmanship, Zhang didn’t immediately celebrate his victory but instead approached Bu to share a respectful hug at the net.
Reflecting on his performance, Zhang expressed his deep connection to the Hangzhou court: \"I love this court. I have never lost here. I won the Asian Games gold medal on this court last year. I'm glad that I made it to the final here again this time.\"
He continued, \"It was a tough match because Bu has a great serve. I think he performed better than I did today. He just lost on key points, especially during the tiebreaker. He was unlucky to lose the first set. I converted only one break in the second set. I converted two in the entire match and Bu had four.\"
Looking ahead, Zhang is set to face Marin Cilic of Croatia in the final on Tuesday night. Cilic, the former World No. 3 and 2014 U.S. Open champion, defeated Brandon Nakashima of the USA with a score of 6-4, 7-6(8-6) in his semifinal match.
When discussing his upcoming match against Cilic, Zhang shared his strategy and respect for the seasoned player: \"Cilic is a Grand Slam champion. He's not high in the world rankings and played in this tournament with a wild card. His footwork may be problematic, but he's still got his serves and baseline skills. That's my challenge to overcome tomorrow. I will study how to handle it.\"
The final promises to be a thrilling encounter as Zhang Zhizhen seeks to make history at the Hangzhou Open.
Reference(s):
China's Zhang Zhizhen to make ATP Tour final debut at Hangzhou Open
cgtn.com
