QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

February 19, 2024

Zhang Zhizhen

Press Conference

Z. ZHIZHEN/L. Musetti

6-2, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you talk about the conditions here and what it took to adapt your game to these conditions?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Well, same as always: Windy here (smiling). That's what I remember. Also last year I come to here also was windy, and this year also was windy, but I have a prepare already.

Also, I think this year I was, how to say, I deal with the wind, I hang on pretty well. That's also very important for today, because I think today the wind makes it a little bit trouble to him, because, I mean, he's a very good player, and today he had quite a lot of mistakes I think by wind.

Yeah, super happy that I'm dealing with this wind very good.

Q. Do you think a two-handed backhand is easier in these conditions, in the wind, than a single-handed backhand?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Ah, this question. Yes, I think so, yes. Also, I would say in general the two-hands backhand, how to say, from my side I feel is more stable against one-hand backhand. I feel more confidence.

I mean, but I would love to watch the guys are playing one-hand backhand, because this is very enjoy. I mean, the swing, how you swing the ball is very nice, smooth, which is backhand sometimes you struggle the ball a little bit.

But still, I would say at the moment backhand, more stronger than the one-hand backhand, I would say.

Q. I want to ask you not about today's match but more like a generic question. I read Wikipedia, which said that you were supported by Ivan Ljubicic?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Support?

Q. Or your agent is Ljubicic?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: No, it was, before my agent, that's before, I mean, before my agency is from Ivan Ljubicic, and also now I went to his academy to practice sometimes. For example, last year I didn't went, I don't have the time, but year before, 2022, if I have times traveling in Europe, if I have some week off I going to Losinj to Ljubicic Academy.

Yeah, because he's working on French Federation now, so he's not supporting me. He's supporting the French players. (Laughter.)

But, yeah, kind of friends now. So sometimes give me some help. Then I can, for example, in the Europe, you know, you need to have a base, and there is a base, kind of a base for me. It's very help me.

Q. How did you get that opportunity to meet Ljubicic?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Well, that's 2015. 2015 in China season, I would say, because I pass the quallies, 250, won the first one, and after somehow my team had a connect with him, and then we sign a contract in 2015. Yeah, that's how we start.

Q. Before that, you have been training in Chinese Tennis Federation, like training center in Shanghai?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: You mean before 2015?

Q. Yeah.

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Before 2015, I was, yeah, based in Shanghai, but my team very support me very good. They let me go traveling to U.S., practice in U.S., practice in Spain, France, Italy, everywhere.

Yeah, the base is in Shanghai. Even now my base is still in Shanghai if I have time, but the tennis tour, the calendar is always makes you tough to going back to China. So you need to find a base in Europe.

But before that, I'm not traveling that much. I didn't play that tour level, so I was more time stay in China.

Q. This is about the single-handed backhand. You know that there is no single-handed backhand in the ATP's top 10 now, and it's the first time in a long time. Have you heard about it? Is it some kind of talk with the players? Have you all spoken about it? Did someone tell you? Did you read it on Twitter?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: I didn't see other people, how they say, but we was quite surprised, because, I mean, also was feeling a little bit, how to say, a little bit sad, because one-hand backhand, it's a little bit go out of the tennis stage, because first of all because less people are learning one-hand backhand, especially my age.

My age, when we were start to learning tennis, nobody tell you to play one-hand backhand, to go two hands. I think this is the problem, I mean, the people less and less, to play one-hand backhand and to get better result.

But I was making joke to my coach, It's time to play one-hand backhand. But probably not. It's just a joke (smiling).

Q. I wonder if you are still in touch in some way with Cristian Brandi?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Yes, of course.

Q. If you have any memories about...

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: That's full of memories still, because I still have a contact with him. Like last year, even this year after Australian Open, my WhatsApp having two or three months off, didn't works, and as soon as I get, like, WhatsApp online, and I see his message already coming to me it's the time of the Australian Open semifinals doubles.

So we still have a connection. Yeah, I mean, I still remember 2017, 2018, even '19 a little bit, beginning of the year, we are traveling together.

I will say I really remember all the things. I think in that part of the life we spent, it quite helps that my tennis, like, I mean, like at moment, it's very helps. Maybe in that moment didn't have really good result but is building the base for me.

Q. If you have the feeling that tennis in China, also maybe after the Australian Open with the final in the women's tournament, do you have the feeling that it's finally growing and people are more interested with your success and with the other male tennis player doing better than in the past? Do you think something is changing, or...

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Yes, I think it's changing a lot, especially when the men's tennis getting better, because I think all the time with the girls, I mean, woman's tennis are leading quite far away to men's tennis. Men's tennis, nobody -- not nobody is watching, but they want to support us but we always losing quite early or whatever. So they are not really interested.

As soon as we are playing better and then we had a better result, and then there are more people following us, I can feel at moment really in China they are really, how to say, interesting to watch the tennis.

Sometime they compare about China tennis, China men's tennis, China men's soccer, as you know, soccer for us is not too good, and also basketball (smiling). Finally someone say, okay, tennis we can watch this better than them.

As a tennis player, I'm happy. But as Chinese people, I will say the men's is more important than girls. I'm sorry to say that, but I think truth is.

Q. You reach the highest ranking, Chinese male highest ranking last year, and you broke a lot of records last year. So is any like specific tournaments or matches or, like, decision which you can call a turning point of your career?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Well, turning point, again, it's what I say Madrid is the turning point for me, because I was super unconfidence. Went to Madrid, and then after Madrid I had super confidence how to play. That's really amazing week.

So, I mean, that week, I don't know what's going on. I just keep fighting and then I win some matches. I win some good matches. So the season just change right away.

Even now I keep the level this year beginning of the year. Normally have trouble a little bit in the beginning of the year, so this year I'm also handling pretty well. So I'm really looking forward.