China’s Zhang Zhizhen stuns Casper Ruud at US Open for first top-five victory

NEW YORK – At the end of his US Open match on Wednesday, Zhang Zhizhen was so tired and in pain that he did not have much energy to celebrate his victory.

Maybe he would when it all sinks in, as he made history by becoming the first Chinese man to beat a top-five opponent by stunning 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2 in the second round.

Ranked 67th in the world, the Shanghai native had come through another five-setter to beat American J.J. Wolf in his opener and showed similar resolve against world No. 5 Ruud en route to securing the biggest victory of his career.

“Last year at the US Open, I can say it was a bad memory. This year is a little bit different,” said Zhang, who squandered seven match points in his 2022 opener before losing to Tim van Rijthoven in five sets.

Not that it was much easier on Wednesday, however, as the 26-year-old was blanked by Ruud in the fourth set but this time round, he said he never lost hope.

“I believed in myself. If not, the fifth set was going to be a different result,” Zhang added.

“I was a little bit tired for a few days already. I had some sort of pain, whatever. I don’t spend so much energy. I try to be calm for the whole match.

“At the end of the match, when I finished the last point, I didn’t really celebrate like, not super happy. But I was happy inside, it just didn’t show.”

The Chinese, who will play Australian Rinky Hijikata in the third round, has set a number of tennis “firsts” for China where the sport has largely been dominated by women in the modern era.

In May, he became the first man from his country to win a main-draw match at the French Open in 86 years when his Serbian opponent Dusan Lajovic retired due to illness.

After beating Argentinian Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round at Roland Garros he was then dumped out of the tournament by Ruud, so Wednesday’s victory comes as sweet revenge.

Last October, Zhang became the first Chinese man to break into the top 100 in the world rankings and he also became the first to reach the quarter-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament at the Madrid Open this season.

He is now on the verge of cracking the top 50 and said interest in men’s tennis was increasing back home.

“More and more people are watching. More people are trying to play tennis. At least in Shanghai, now we get more courts, we have more people to play,” he said.

Ruud, meanwhile, praised his opponent and said Zhang would be a threat for years to come.

“He plays really aggressive,” the 24-year-old said.

“I think today he played better forehand than in Roland Garros, more mistakes from the forehand last time. That was my game plan, try to play heavy to his forehand and make him run on the forehand.

“But he was just slapping winners cross court, down the line, coming to the net. Made it really uncomfortable for me, played fast. Credit to him. I think he played really good, honestly.”

The Norwegian was runner-up at Roland Garros for a second straight year but exited the other Grand Slams in the second round. His next goal will be to seal a place in the season-ending ATP Finals in November.

“It’s going to be a hectic race for that,” he added. “I hope I can be one of the contenders to get there in the end.” REUTERS, AFP