Match Characteristic
Historical past-maker Zhang able to reignite in Shanghai
Zhang is barely Chinese language participant to achieve final 16 at residence ATP Masters 1000 occasion
September 30, 2025
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Zhang Zhizhen shall be joined within the Shanghai discipline by countrymen Shang Juncheng, Wu Yibing, Buyunchaokete and Zhou Yi.
By Sam Jacot
Again on courtroom and rising in perception, Zhang Zhizhen returns to his hometown this fortnight for the Rolex Shanghai Masters, desirous to rekindle the magic that made him a history-maker simply two years in the past.
Zhang was sidelined for six months this 12 months with a shoulder concern, however is match once more now and able to return to a venue steeped in private and nationwide significance.
Zhang’s rise hit new heights in 2023, a breakthrough 12 months wherein the Shanghai native rewrote the report books for Chinese language tennis. He grew to become the primary Chinese language man to achieve the quarter-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 occasion in Madrid, later hovering to a then-career-high No. 52 within the PIF ATP Rankings.
His run continued on the Grand Slam stage on the US Open, the place he shocked Casper Ruud to develop into the primary man from China to topple a Prime 5 opponent.
The dream summer time led him to Shanghai, the place the hometown hero fed off native help to surge into the fourth spherical, one other nationwide first at this stage. He overcame Richard Gasquet, Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Brandon Nakashima earlier than falling to eventual champion Hubert Hurkacz.
“If individuals are watching us do one thing after which making an attempt to comply with us, that’s nice information for us,” Zhang instructed ATPTour.com earlier this season. “Most Chinese language individuals are watching desk tennis or badminton on the Olympics, not tennis. However immediately they’re watching dwell on TV.
“Straight away, extra individuals are understanding us and extra individuals are making an attempt to play, making an attempt to be taught. That’s actually good.”
Watch Zhang Defeat Nakashima To Make Shanghai Historical past In 2023:
Zhang’s efforts have laid a strong basis for the following era. In 2024, Zhang broke into the Prime 50, climbing to No. 31, a brand new high-water mark for Chinese language males’s tennis. He additionally reached his maiden ATP Tour closing in Hangzhou and superior to a different Masters 1000 quarter-final in Rome.
Now 28, Zhang is eyeing a robust end to 2025 after returning to Tour earlier this month in Hangzhou with a confidence-boosting win over countryman Buyunchaokete. And there’s no higher place to proceed that comeback than in Shanghai.
He gained’t be alone on the hard-court event. Zhang leads a robust Chinese language contingent into the season’s penultimate Masters 1000 occasion, the place he shall be joined by countrymen Shang Juncheng, Wu Yibing and Zhou Yi.
#NextGenATP Shang can also be rebuilding after a six-month layoff on account of a foot damage. The 20-year-old lefty made a splash final season by profitable his first ATP title in Chengdu, reaching a career-high No. 47. Final 12 months, Shang reached the second spherical in Shanghai.
In the meantime, Wu continues his personal resurgence. The 25-year-old, who made historical past on the 2023 Dallas Open as China’s first ATP Tour titlist, reached the semi-finals in Hangzhou earlier this month and captured his sixth ATP Challenger title in June. In 2024, he loved a third-round run on residence soil in Shanghai.
“It means all the pieces, particularly at residence,” Wu mentioned after his Hangzhou run. “It’s been an extended couple of years. I’ve needed to struggle by means of a lot bodily. Successful three matches in a row right here actually meant quite a bit.”
Defending champion Jannik Sinner, World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Serbian Novak Djokovic lead a stacked discipline in Shanghai, the place the event runs from 1-12 October.
