🎾 China's rising tennis sensation Zhang Zhizhen is on fire! He just booked his spot in his first-ever ATP Tour final at the Hangzhou Open, and we're here for it! 🔥
In an all-Chinese semifinal showdown on Monday, Zhang faced off against Bu Yunchaokete in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. It was a tight match, but Zhang clinched it with a 7-6(3), 6-4 victory. Instead of an immediate celebration, Zhang went straight to the net to hug Bu—sportsmanship goals! 🤗
\"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,\" Zhang shared with reporters, all smiles. 😄
He acknowledged the challenge Bu presented: \"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.\"
Up next, Zhang faces Croatian veteran Marin Cilic, a former World No. 3 and the 2014 U.S. Open champion. Cilic advanced after defeating the USA's Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 7-6(6). Talk about a clash of generations! 🌟
\"Cilic is a Grand Slam champion,\" Zhang noted. \"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.\"
Will Zhang's winning streak on his favorite court continue? Only time will tell, but we're rooting for our new favorite underdog! 🏆
Reference(s):
China's Zhang Zhizhen to make ATP Tour final debut at Hangzhou Open
cgtn.com
