Zhang Saves 3 MPs, Stuns Fritz In Historic Madrid Win

Zhang Zhizhen made history on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open, where he became the first Chinese player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.

The 26-year-old accomplished the feat in style, saving three match points to rally past eighth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(8). It marked his first Top 10 win on his third attempt.

“I didn’t think about this. Didn’t really think about [his] ranking, because you just need to give the best you can,” Zhang said in his on-court interview. “Before the match, you know it’s a very tough player. There is no weakness, so [I] just tried what I can do. 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.”

[ATP APP]

It has been a breakthrough week for the Chinese star, who upset World No. 13 Cameron Norrie in the third round. At the time, not only did that make him the first player from his country to reach the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event, but it had been the biggest win of his career by Pepperstone ATP Ranking.

Zhang wasted no time adding to his resumé. He will next face former World No. 14 Aslan Karatsev for a spot in the semi-finals.

“I’ll tell you a secret. We had a practice, I lost 6-0 with Karatsev,” Zhang said. “I’ll do my best. Here everyone is a great player, huge player. They all have some very good results. [I will] try to do the best what I can do.”

The 26-year-old is up to No. 66 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, the best ranking of his career. If he defeats Karatsev, he is projected to crack the Top 50 and become the highest-ranked Chinese man in history, passing close friend Wu Yibing, who ascended to World No. 55 earlier this year.

Fritz will rue plenty of missed opportunities. The American led by a set and a break. Even when Zhang rallied, Fritz led 3/0 in the second-set tie-break and 6/4 in the third-set tie-break.

The eighth seed prides himself on his performance under pressure, but he was unable to land the final blow. Zhang played with courage, bludgeoning a forehand at 4/6 and then showing deft touch to erase another match point at 5/6.

Fritz earned his best opportunity at 8/7, when he overcooked a forehand from the middle of the court. Zhang, who entered the tournament with a 4-9 record in tour-level deciding sets, has now won three consecutive final-set tie-breaks.

“After so many losses you feel calm,” Zhang said, cracking a smile. “You don’t feel too much after you lose so many matches.”

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Roger Federer Returns To The Met Gala

Roger Federer returned to the Met Gala on Monday for the first time since 2017, when he intrigued fans worldwide in a crystal cobra on his tuxedo.

Federer wore a less adventurous outfit on Monday evening, but the GQ’s Most Stylish Man of the Decade was in his element in at The Metropolitan Museum Of Art.

Earlier in the day, the Swiss legend joined friend and Editor in Chief of Vogue Anna Wintour for a look at The Costume Institute's exhibition — Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.

^{Photo Gallery: AFP/Getty Images}
Federer enjoyed his time in New York ahead of the Met Gala. The Swiss visited the Cary Leeds Center to speak with local junior players. He also caught up with comedian Trevor Noah.

A 🍕of home in the Big 🍎🇨🇭@Trevornoah pic.twitter.com/3fLhmJcoLq

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) May 1, 2023

Plenty of fans were also intrigued by a post Federer made at a local restaurant. The 41-year-old, who retired at last year's Laver Cup, indulged in a burger and fries.

 

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Federer was not the only tennis star in attendance at the Met Gala. Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick and his wife, Brooklyn Decker, were also there.

^{Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images}

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Zhang Edges Norrie To Extend Best ATP Masters 1000 Run

China's Zhang Zhizhen backed up his upset of Denis Shapovalov with an even bigger win against Cameron Norrie on Monday at the Mutua Madrid Open. Both triumphs came via a third-set tie-break, with the 26-year-old battling back to stun Norrie 2-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(2) and notch his first Top 20 win.

"Before the match I didn't even think I was going to be here in the second week of Madrid," the Shanghai native said after extending his dream debut at the ATP Masters 1000. "Now I made it!

"This is a big victory because it was an amazing match. The first set was tough, I was down 6-2 but I still didn't give up. And then I won two tie-breaks, that's amazing. Normally my tie-breaks is losing one and then win. So today I had two wins, that's unbelievable really."

Doing the impossible ✨

Zhizhen Zhang continues his impressive form with a 2-6 7-6 7-6 victory over Cameron Norrie, reaching the last 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time!@MutuaMadridOpen | #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/omLfvDjHge

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 1, 2023

Zhang, who became the first Chinese player to break into the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings last October, has moved up 10 places to No. 89 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings behind his best run at an ATP Masters 1000 — a mark that would represent a new career high. With a win in his last-16 match against Taylor Fritz, he could rise as high as No. 65.

"Again, a top player for sure, a tough match," Zhang said of the his third straight seeded opponent. "I will try to be my best, try to fight."

Zhang excelled in attack against the 11th-seeded Norrie but also held his own in longer rallies, finishing with 32 winners and 21 unforced errors. Though he did not create a break point, he was rock-solid in both tie-breaks as Norrie misfired. The Briton finished the match with 32 unforced errors, including a few untimely miscues as his opponent piled the pressure down the stretch of the two-hour, nine-minute match.

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Zhang has picked up all three of his tour-level wins this season in the past week, levelling his record at 3-3 behind his Madrid run. He is one win away from a third ATP Tour quarter-final, having reached that stage in 2017 in Shenzhen and last year in Naples, doing so as a qualifier on both occasions.

Norrie, who was off to his best career start on clay courts this season, fell to 12-4 on the surface on the year.

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Hunted By 'Cheetah-Like' Baez, Tsitsipas Lives Another Day

After edging Dominic Thiem in a third-set tie-break to open his Mutua Madrid Open campaign, Stefanos Tsitsipas again owned the clutch moments in a Monday win against Sebastian Baez. In a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory, the Greek rattled off the final four games of the opening set and the last three of the third to advance to the last 16 at the ATP Masters 1000.

"He made it very difficult for me. Honestly, it was demanding in a lot of ways. I had to bring out the best out of my game," Tsitsipas said post-match. "He wasn't missing much. Of course he's someone that covers and runs around the court pretty well. He definitely utilised that pretty well against me, being able to navigate himself throughout the entire court with ease, just gliding through the court like a cheetah."

Tsitsipas improved to 8-2 on clay this season as he continues his bid to return to the Madrid semi-finals for the third time. A 2019 finalist in the Spanish capital, he also reached the last four in 2022. If he can win his third ATP Masters 1000 title this week, he could rise as high No. 3 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and move within 1,000 points of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

A trophy would be his first of the season following defeats in the final at the Australian Open and last week in Barcelona.

[ATP APP]

Baez provided a stern test on Manolo Santana Stadium, combining consistency with a relentless baseline attack and taking advantage of 45 unforced errors from the Greek. Tsitsipas buckled down to steal the opening set from 3-5, finding space to dictate off his forehand wing, only to see Baez snap back to claim the second set after building a 3-0 lead.

There were no break points on offer in the final set until the final two games. Tsitsipas stepped into the court with great success to break for 5-3, then saved two break points to serve out the match, including one with an ace. He finished with a serve-and-volley on match point to emerge victorious after two hours, 12 minutes.

"I'm glad I served well in some moments, in that last game," the Greek reflected. "He wasn't going to give up. He really fought for every single point and I'm glad obviously that I overcame this because it was more — not so much of a physical [battle] — it was more of a mental battle I underwent and I had to persevere there and show myself that I'm much stronger in terms of handling those situations and fighting back."

Tsitsipas will next face home favourite Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who continued his dream run at the Caja Magica with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory against qualifier Roman Safiullin. The World No. 42 powered 33 winners en route to a two-hour, 22-minute win to advance to the fourth round of a Masters 1000 event for the first time.

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Sumit Nagal Returns To Challenger Tour Winners’ Circle

The ATP Challenger Tour prides itself in providing a raw look into professional tennis, offering an opportunity for fans to watch players go from grind to glory.

Indian Sumit Nagal is a case in point. The 25-year-old returned to the Challenger Tour winners’ circle Sunday following a difficult journey.

Nagal advanced through qualifying at the Roma Garden Open and went on a dream run, downing Dutchman Jesper de Jong 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

Nagal, who is one of five Challenger champions this week, captured his third Challenger title and first since 2019. Nagal’s journey since claiming the Buenos Aires Challenger four years ago has been filled with challenges, including undergoing right hip surgery in 2021. But this week on the Italian clay courts came with a great reward.

“It always feels good to lift a trophy, especially when it’s been four years since you won your last one,” Nagal wrote in an Instagram post following the Rome Challenger title. “There were times when the days were cold and the cards all fold.

“It was hard to believe that this day would come. I struggled with numerous injuries, came back from surgery, fought covid multiple times, endured tough matches, tougher training regimes, and my own internal demons.”

In South Korea, #NextGenATP star Yunchaokete Bu collected his maiden Challenger title and made Chinese tennis history.

Bu defeated seventh seed Aleksandar Vukic 7-6(4), 6-4 in the Pleisure Seoul Open final to become the third Chinese Challenger champion aged 21 and under, joining the-then 17-year-olds Wu Yibing (2017) and Shang Juncheng (2022).

Following Yunchaokete’s six titles on the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour last season, the Hangzhou native is building upon his momentum on the Challenger Tour. His triumph in South Korea lifts him to a career-high No. 167 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

[ATP APP]

Thiago Seyboth Wild collected his second Challenger title of the season Sunday, when he claimed the Challenger AAT Legion Sudamericana in Buenos Aires. The 23-year-old defeated third seed Luciano Darderi 6-3, 6-3 in the final.

Seyboth Wild, who triumphed at last month’s Vina del Mar Challenger, tallied a 15-2 Challenger-level record across March and April, including a finalist finish at the Santiago Challenger.

The Brazilian Seyboth Wild also teamed with Francisco Comesana to win the doubles title in Buenos Aires. The duo defeated Argentines Hernan Casanova and Santiago Rodriguez Taverna 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-6 in the final.

On the green clay of the Savannah Challenger, second seed Facundo Diaz Acosta won his second Challenger title. The Argentine defeated home hope Tristan Boyer 6-3, 6-1 in the final.

Facundo Diaz Acosta wins the 2023 Savannah Challenger. Credit: George Schminke

Diaz Acosta, 22, needed a deciding set in three of his five matches to triumph. The Buenos Aires native, who reached five Challenger semi-finals in 2022, is at a career-high 132 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings following his title in the United States.

In other Savannah Challenger action, semi-finalist Patrick Kypson secured the USTA’s Roland Garros wild card challenge, which is based on performance in outdoor clay Challenger-level events or higher over a four-week period. Kypson is awarded a main-draw wild card into the season’s second major.

In Ostrava, Czech Republic, home favourite Zdenek Kolar downed Hungarian Mate Valkusz 6-3, 6-2 to win his fourth Challenger title and first since 2021.

Zdenek Kolar in action at the Ostrava Challenger. Credit: Ostra Group Open by Moneta

The 26-year-old Kolar has fond memories on the Ostrava clay. In 2016, he completed a dream run to his first Challenger final as a teenage wild card. This week, the Czech went one step further to be crowned champion at the Ostra Group Open by Moneta.

Last season, Kolar made his Grand Slam main-draw debut at Roland Garros, where he reached the second round and took a set off fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Andy Murray schedule decision hints at French Open intentions as Brit faces popcorn clash

Andy Murray has entered the Aix-en-Provence Challenger where he will face good friend Gael Monfils.

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How To Watch ATP Challenger TV; View Schedule & Scores

Challenger TV is your home for all the action on the ATP Challenger Tour. You can watch free live streams and full match replays of your favourite players and tournaments.

All the live matches and replays can be found on the Challenger TV landing page. You can learn all you need to know about the Tour on the ATP Challenger Tour Landing Page. Watch ATP Challenger Tour videos, read Challenger news and more throughout ATPTour.com (find info for app users below).

The ATP Challenger Tour is the launchpad of men's professional tennis. The Challenger Tour calendar features 200 tournaments across more than 40 countries each season. At this level, players develop their skills and earn valuable experience against strong competition, while fighting for critical points and prize money, all with the collective goal of progressing onto the ATP Tour.

Since it was founded in 1978, the ATP Challenger Tour has been an intense battleground on a global stage, providing fans the opportunity to witness world class tennis and follow the journeys of the stars of tomorrow as they launch their professional careers.  

For App Users
To watch Challenger TV on the ATP WTA Live App, navigate to the screen you see when you open the app. On the purple navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, click the "More" button on the far right. The second option down will be "Challenger TV", where you can select any match from any ATP Challenger Tour event that day.

To view Challenger scores, draws, schedules and more, select "Scores" on the navigation bar on the bottom of your screen. At the top there are two tabs: "ATP Tour & Hologic WTA Tour" and "ATP Challenger & WTA 125". Select the latter and explore all the Challenger events for the week.

This Week
This week there will be five ATP Challenger Tour events, including two at the Challenger 175 level: the Open Aix Provence Crédit Agricole and the Sardegna Open.

Plenty of stars will compete in Aix-en-Provence event, including top seed Tommy Paul, former World No. 1 Andy Murray and Frenchman Gael Monfils.This will mark the first edition of the Sardegna Open, with Yoshihito Nishioka the too seed and rising American Ben Shelton, former Top 10 player Diego Schwartzman and more in action.

This week will also feature the Gwangju Open Challenger in South Korea, the Advantage Cars Prague Open by Moneta in the Czech Republic and the Challenger Dove Men+Care Coquimbo in Chile.

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