China’s rising tennis star Zhang Zhizhen has made history by reaching his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour final at the Hangzhou Open. On Monday, Zhang secured a hard-fought victory over compatriot Bu Yunchaokete in the men’s singles semifinals, triumphing 7-6(3), 6-4 in front of an enthusiastic home crowd in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province.
The match was a showcase of Chinese tennis talent, with both players displaying impressive skills. Although Bu converted more break points than Zhang (4 to 2), Zhang’s ability to win crucial points, particularly during the first-set tiebreaker, made the difference. Demonstrating sportsmanship, Zhang immediately embraced Bu at the net following the match.
“I love this court. I have never lost here,” Zhang told reporters. “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.”
Reflecting on the challenging match, Zhang praised his opponent. “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.”
Zhang will face Croatia’s Marin Cilic in the final on Tuesday night. Cilic, a former World No. 3 and 2014 U.S. Open champion, secured his place in the final by defeating the USA’s Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 7-6(6) in the other semifinal match.
Looking ahead to his first-ever meeting with Cilic, Zhang acknowledged the challenge ahead. “Cilic is a Grand Slam champion,” he said. “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.”
Zhang’s historic run at the Hangzhou Open marks a significant milestone in Chinese men’s tennis, inspiring fans and signaling a promising future for the sport in the region.
