Zhang Zhizhen’s Valiant Effort Falls Short Against Dimitrov in Vienna

Chinese tennis star Zhang Zhizhen delivered a gritty performance against world No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, but the Bulgarian veteran clinched victory 6-4, 7-5 in a nail-biting first-round clash.

Zhang, ranked 46th globally, stunned fans early by breaking Dimitrov’s serve in the opening game. The momentum swung like a TikTok trend as both players fought fiercely, with Zhang nearly leveling the first set at 5-5 before faltering under pressure.

The second set saw Zhang channel his inner underdog energy, matching Dimitrov’s rhythm until a crucial break point in Game 11 slipped away. Dimitrov’s clutch forehand saved the day, sealing his win with back-to-back games.

\"I had to dig deep today,\" said Dimitrov, fresh off a Stockholm Open final loss last week. \"Zhang made me work for every point—respect to him.\" The Bulgarian now faces Czech player Tomas Machac next, while Zhang’s Vienna run ends early.

Though the result stings for Zhang fans, his fearless play against a top-10 rival proves China’s tennis rise is no fluke. Who’s ready for more edge-of-your-seat action this season?

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Zhang Zhizhen falls short to Grigor Dimitrov at Erste Bank Open

cgtn.com