China's Zhang Zhizhen faced a tough exit at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam on Tuesday, falling 6-3, 6-4 to fourth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev. The clash marked Zhang's fourth consecutive loss to the world No. 5, but not without moments of grit .
Set-by-Set Drama
Rublev broke Zhang's serve early in the first set, charging to a 5-2 lead. Though Zhang heroically saved six set points in the eighth game, the Russian closed out the set decisively. The second set saw Rublev dominate with relentless serves, while Zhang fought off four match points in the final game before bowing out.
Alcaraz Escapes Dutch Challenge
Elsewhere, top seed Carlos Alcaraz survived a rollercoaster 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-1 battle against Dutch wildcard Botic van de Zandschulp. Despite 40 unforced errors, the Spaniard pulled off 'Netflix-worthy' shots in the decider . 'I had to trust my game even when it wasn't perfect,' said Alcaraz post-match.
Next up: Rublev faces Félix Auger-Aliassime, while Alcaraz takes on France's Ugo Humbert. Stay tuned for more serves, slams, and drama!
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. 'I had to trust my game even when it wasn't perfect,' said Alcaraz post-match.
