China’s Zhang Zhizhen and his Czech partner Tomas Machac continued their remarkable run at the French Open by defeating Argentina’s eighth-seeded duo, Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, with a straight-sets victory of 6-3, 7-5 on Tuesday.
The match, lasting 83 minutes, saw the Chinese-Czech pair convert three out of four break points, showcasing their efficiency and synergy on the clay courts of Roland Garros. Their triumph propels them into the quarterfinals, where they will face the top-seeded team of Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.
Reflecting on the match, Zhang Zhizhen expressed gratitude towards his partner, saying, “I want to thank Tomas, who played exceptionally well in the second set. My performance wasn’t as stable; I struggled with my service game and was inconsistent from the baseline. But I adjusted in time and scored some crucial net points to help us win.”
Zhang and Machac have displayed impressive form this season. The duo clinched an indoor ATP 250 title in February at Marseille and reached the semifinals on clay at the Barcelona ATP 500. Boasting a 15-2 record for the season, they have climbed to 11th in the ATP doubles rankings.
Their unexpected success has captured the attention of tennis enthusiasts and analysts worldwide. With a blend of powerful serves from Machac and Zhang’s agility at the net, they have become a formidable team against seasoned opponents.
As they prepare for their upcoming quarterfinal showdown, fans are eager to see if Zhang and Machac can continue their winning streak and make a historic run at the French Open.
