Zhang Zhizhen blasted 10 aces to return to the TOP 300, Wu Yibing replaces Xiaobu as China’s new No.1

When Zhang Zhizhen secured the final point to clinch victory in the first round of the Doha 500 tournament, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, saying the former Chinese No.1 finally held firm under pressure and did not disappoint his supporters!

This year, only Zhang Zhizhen and Shang Juncheng represented China in Doha. Unfortunately, Shang Juncheng had very tough luck, facing the fourth seed Medvedev in the first round and getting swept out early. Zhang’s performance would directly determine whether Chinese men’s tennis would be wiped out in the first round or if the flag could continue to fly high in the Middle East.

Although Zhang’s first-round opponent Baena was tougher than expected, compared to Shang Juncheng’s challenge against Medvedev, Zhang’s draw was clearly much better. The question was how well he would perform on the day.

Some said Zhang Zhizhen had been in good form recently and believed it wouldn’t be hard for him to get off to a winning start in Doha; others worried that the former Chinese No.1’s frequent recent matches might have drained his stamina, raising concerns about his match against Baena.

Others viewed it as a fairly even contest. Zhang and Baena had met twice before, each winning once, so the outcome would depend on who performed better and who handled the crucial points more effectively.

Judging from their performances in the first set, it was indeed as some predicted—a close battle with both players having a chance to win. The first six games were fiercely contested, with neither side giving an inch, making the set’s outcome highly uncertain.

However, at the critical moment, Zhang Zhizhen showed greater composure, capitalizing on Baena’s early lapses to seize the opportunity and take the set 6-4.

After Zhang was one point away from winning, viewers in the live chat joked that after Shang Juncheng’s early exit, they thought the heavy pressure might affect Zhang’s performance, but surprisingly, the pressure instead became motivation, pushing him to fight desperately and achieve great results.

In the second set, Zhang’s performance impressed many who gave him thumbs up.

Facing Baena’s fierce comeback attempts, determined to bring the match back on level terms, Zhang suddenly surged when trailing 0-1 in the first set, winning three consecutive games to suppress his opponent’s momentum and ultimately took the second set 6-4, sealing the match.

After the match, Zhang Zhizhen became the subject of widespread praise. As China’s sole representative in Doha, he lived up to expectations when Chinese tennis needed him most, preventing a complete first-round wipeout for Chinese men’s tennis.

Although the second round matchup against the Czech player Menšík posed a challenge for Zhang, many believed that after blasting 10 aces and maintaining an 88% first-serve win rate against Baena, he had a solid chance to defeat Menšík and advance to face former world No.1 Sinner in the third round.

Moreover, thanks to his first-round victory in Doha and a series of strong recent performances, Zhang Zhizhen’s current world ranking has climbed back into the TOP 300, now standing at No. 261.

Considering that just a short while ago Zhang was ranked 464th, rising so quickly in a few months has made many confident that he will soon re-enter the TOP 100, reclaiming everything he lost, one step at a time, with his racket in hand.

While everyone celebrated Zhang’s success, they also sent a message to Bu Yunchaokete: it’s time to step up!

Since the new season began, Bu Yunchaokete’s performance has been disappointing. Leaving aside his early exit at the Australian Open, his showing in the Davis Cup World Group I playoffs left fans and netizens openly frustrated.

In a match against the relatively unknown Portuguese player Sousa, the highly favored Bu unexpectedly lost. If it hadn’t been for Wu Yibing’s later win over Borges that leveled the score, China’s qualification would have been very uncertain.

Bu Yunchaokete’s poor form has cost him. In the latest rankings, after losing 25 points from last year’s Delray Beach Open, Bu dropped from the top Chinese spot, officially replaced by Wu Yibing, who reclaimed the No.1 position in China after 31 months, showing that Wu’s hard work since his comeback has finally paid off.

Of course, the points gap between Bu Yunchaokete and Wu Yibing is narrow; Bu’s 424 ranking points trail Wu by only 3. To regain the top Chinese spot, Bu must double his efforts, as not only has Wu moved ahead, but Zhang Zhizhen and others are also charging forward aggressively!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit River’s Starry Sky)