Zhu Lin clarifies: 20% tax in the UK, spending £10,000 to participate in Wimbledon; Zhang Zhizhen returns at the Hangzhou tournament.

Recently, Chinese tennis star Zhu Lin appeared on CCTV's "Sports Zero Distance" program, discussing her challenging journey from injury to reaching the Round of 16 in a WTA 1000 event for the first time. She also addressed the tax rates in the UK.

This year at the WTA 1000 Montreal women's singles tournament, after China's top player Zheng Qinwen withdrew due to injury, 31-year-old Zhu Lin unexpectedly took the lead, becoming the Chinese player who advanced the furthest in singles. She achieved a new career milestone—defeating Gracheva, Aleksandrova, and Ramens in succession to enter the Round of 16 in a 1000 event for the first time.

However, behind these victories lies an unimaginable amount of hardship and perseverance. In a post-match interview after the first round in Montreal, Zhu Lin stated that the best way to treat her elbow ligament injury would be surgery, but considering her age, the recovery time would be quite long, so she had to choose conservative treatment. Behind this choice, Zhu Lin admitted she just wants to fight for a few more years while she can still play.

Facing enormous challenges and difficulties while competing with an unresolved old injury, Zhu Lin encountered significant hurdles. With the increasingly aggressive nature of modern tennis, her slower footwork and stamina initially hindered her performance.

During matches, fans could always see her wearing a black brace on her right elbow. However, regarding her injury, she displayed a rare openness for a veteran: "There are many factors contributing to elbow injuries, including technique and your force structure. Of course, the intensity of the matches is increasing, and each tournament has different balls, along with frequent changes in the courts, all of which contribute to injuries being inevitable."

The first Grand Slam she participated in with a protected ranking was Wimbledon, but in the first round, Zhu Lin struggled and unfortunately lost to the in-form Kudermetova. Zhu Lin candidly shared on the show that after exiting Wimbledon, she chose to take a break, and the loss made her aware of her shortcomings, igniting a higher self-demand.

With this momentum, Zhu Lin seized the opportunity in Montreal, earning 120 points that brought her world ranking back to around the top 300. Her sights are now set on the upcoming US Open, with the goal of breaking into the top 200 after the tournament.

In a recent episode of CCTV's "Sports Zero Distance," Zhu Lin also revealed some experiences from Wimbledon. Addressing the widespread notion that "UK taxes are very high," she clarified the facts, stating that the actual tax deduction is around 20%. Participating in Wimbledon cost her team about £7,000 for accommodation, plus around £10,000 when including two weeks of meals and airfare. Zhu Lin remarked, "It's not bad, much lower than people imagine." Regarding the financial aspects of professional tennis, she stated, "As long as you can stay in the top 100, balancing income and expenses is fundamental."

After concluding her journey at the Montreal tournament, Zhu Lin expressed her mindset of "enjoying playing." She stated that at her age, she cherishes the time and opportunities to play more than before, thus she won't set overly high expectations for herself. This calmness, forged through injuries, is precisely the driving force behind her continued progress and a key to her breakthrough in Montreal.

Zhu Lin's immediate goal is to participate in the Cincinnati tournament with a protected ranking before the US Open, aiming to further improve her ranking. Currently, she hopes to directly enter the Chinese season tournaments based on her ranking, with a long-term goal of qualifying for next year's Australian Open based on her ranking.

Now, let's turn to another exciting piece of news—after being sidelined for half a year due to injury, Zhang Zhizhen updated his social media with "Long time no see," announcing his official return at the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open starting on September 19.

Zhang Zhizhen's injury troubles began after the Indian Wells Masters in March this year, where a left leg injury forced him to withdraw from Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid tournaments consecutively. His planned return at the Rome Masters was also postponed due to "unsatisfactory recovery."

The heaviest blow came a week before the French Open began. The French Open officials announced Zhang Zhizhen's withdrawal due to injury, marking his fifth consecutive withdrawal. Having reached the third round at last year's French Open, this withdrawal caused him to lose 100 points, dropping his world ranking from around 80 to approximately 90.

After six months of rehabilitation, Zhang Zhizhen finally welcomed his moment to return. He plans to make his comeback at the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open, the same place where he won the men's singles gold medal at last year's Hangzhou Asian Games.

Additionally, Zhang Zhizhen mentioned that he plans to participate in the Guangzhou International Men's Tennis Challenge during the same period. He also confirmed to reporters that he will compete in the 15th National Games held in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in November, hoping to achieve better results.

Regarding his return, he maintains a cautious yet optimistic outlook, admitting that he is still in the recovery phase and his physical condition is not yet ideal. He won't put too much pressure or set high goals for himself after returning. However, the road to Zhang Zhizhen's comeback is filled with challenges. Due to his long absence from competition, his world ranking has dropped to around 163. If he cannot seize the limited opportunities provided by the protected ranking, the situation could become quite complicated.

Zhang Zhizhen humorously remarked that during his injury period, he experienced the "life of a worker"—training and rehabilitation every day with early mornings and late evenings, often returning home around seven or eight o'clock or even later. The rare moments of rest allowed him to spend time with his family and recharge for his return to the court. Seeing him so optimistic has relieved many fans, so let's silently cheer for him and look forward to seeing him in Hangzhou!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)