When Zhang Zhizhen defeated Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 6-0 to reach the quarter-finals in Hangzhou Saturday, he made history for Chinese tennis.
It is the first time multiple Chinese players have made the quarter-finals of the same ATP Tour event. On Friday his countryman Buyunchaokete upset second seed Karen Khachanov to reach the quarter-finals.
“We’re happy to [earn] some wins for Chinese people,” Zhang shared after the match.
🤳 Home hero 🤳
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 21, 2024
ZZZ mania is in full swing!@HangzhouOpen |#HangzhouOpen pic.twitter.com/e18YM5Cd0Z
In a near-perfect performance, Zhang fired six aces and faced no break points throughout the match as Bellucci made 29 unforced errors. The Chinese will face Roberto Carballes Baena in the quarter-finals. It will be the first meeting in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
Buyunchaokete will face Mikhail Kukushkin in the quarter-finals. It will also be the pair's first meeting.
Did You Know?
Zhang became the first Chinese player in PIF ATP Rankings history to break into the Top 100 in October 2022 and Top 50 in January 2024. Zhang and Buyunchaokete will try to join Wu Yibing (2023 Dallas) as Chinese ATP Tour titlists.
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