After an early exit in Rome, Zhang Zhizhen didn’t rest ahead of the French Open. Instead, he opted to compete in the Oeiras CH100 Challenger on clay to fine-tune his game. However, due to a continued drop in his ranking, the former Chinese No. 1 was forced to start in the qualifying rounds.
Many initially believed that Zhang, with his proven ability on clay, would secure a spot in the main draw without much trouble, given his status as the top seed in qualifying. The expectation was that he would teach his opponents a lesson and build momentum.
But the schedule proved to be a brutal test. The tournament organizers packed two qualifying matches into the same day, pushing players to their limits.
In the first round against local player Domingues, Zhang encountered early trouble. After breaking serve to take the lead, he lost his advantage and dropped the first set in a tiebreak, 6-7. Pressure mounted, but Zhang rallied from the second set onward, reversing the match in two sets, 7-5 and 6-3, after a grueling 2-hour-54-minute battle.
That marathon effort raised concerns about whether Zhang could survive the final qualifying round against Cristian Crețu, the 10th seed and a clay specialist. In the opening set tiebreak, Zhang trailed 3-6, with Crețu holding three set points. Fans feared the worst, but Zhang saved five set points total to win the tiebreak 11-9.
Still, fatigue showed as he lost the second set 2-6. However, in the decisive third set, Zhang gritted his teeth and secured a 6-4 victory, sealing his place in the main draw.
Fans quickly dubbed Zhang an “Ironman” after he played two matches from dusk until dawn, both going the distance in three sets. The total playing time reached 5 hours and 40 minutes, and his running distance exceeded 25 kilometers. This extraordinary endurance silenced doubts about his age and fitness, proving he still possesses a big heart and the ability to handle high-intensity battles.
Now in the main draw, Zhang faces a tough opener against Collar, a player who defeated him three years ago in a Challenger event. Given the massive physical output, the outcome remains uncertain, but the “Ironman” has already earned widespread respect.
(Source: Tennis Home)
