Madrid Open: China’s Zhang Zhizhen makes ATP Tour history, one win from being country’s first man to crack world top 50
- Zhang beats Taylor Fritz in 3-set thriller to become first Chinese player to reach quarter-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 event
- Chinese world No 66 battles back from set and a break down to eventually win 3-6, 7-6, 7-6
Zhang Zhizhen has made history at the Madrid Open becoming the first Chinese player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, and is one win from an even bigger achievement.
A thrilling victory over Taylor Fritz late on Tuesday took Zhang to a projected No 66 in the world, and beating Aslan Karatsev in the last eight could see him enter the top 50, something no Chinese man has managed before.
The 26-year-old’s 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 win over eighth-seed Fritz, in which he saved three match points, was his first over a top 10 opponent, and came a day after he beat world No 13 Cameron Norrie in the third round.
“I didn’t really think about his ranking, because you just need to give the best you can,” Zhang said. “Before the match, you know it’s a very tough player. There is no weakness, so I just tried what I can do.
“Then after losing the first set, I was thinking about trying to play a little bit closer match. In the end that I can win, that’s amazing.”
At the time, Zhang’s win over Norrie made him the first player from his country to reach the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event, it was also the biggest win of his career by ATP Ranking.