Zhang Zhizhen needed to save three match points in his win over Taylor Fritz at the Madrid Open on Tuesday to become the first Chinese player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.
Zhang rallied from a set down against the eighth-seeded American to advance 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (10/8), winning in a final-set tiebreaker for the third straight time at the clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital.
It was the first win against a top-10 opponent for the 26-year-old.
Photo: AP
“Before the match, you know it’s a very tough player. There is no weakness, so [I] just tried what I can do,” Zhang said. “Then [after] losing the first set, [I was] thinking about trying to play a little bit closer match. In the end [that] I can win, that’s amazing.”
World No. 99 Zhang had upset No. 13 Cameron Norrie in the third round in Madrid for his biggest career win, and beat 21st-seeded Denis Shapovalov in the second round. He has played seven tiebreakers in total in Madrid, winning six of them.
Zhang next faces former No. 14 Aslan Karatsev, who upset second-seeded Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.
“I’ll tell you a secret,” Zhang said. “We had a practice, I lost 6-0 with Karatsev. I’ll do my best. Here everyone is a great player, huge player... [I will] try to do the best what I can do.”
In other men’s singles matches, Carlos Alcaraz breezed past Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 to reach the quarters. Third-ranked Daniil Medvedev crashed out against Russian compatriot Karatsev, while Stefanos Tsitsipas eased through against Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3, 6-1.
In the women’s competition world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka was forced to sweat by Mayar Sherif, but eventually came through 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals.
Additional reporting by AFP
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