CHINA OPEN

September 26, 2024

Zhang Zhizhen

Press Conference

An interview with:

ZHANG ZHIZHEN

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. After missing your championship, what are your goals for this year's China Open? How did you adjust your mental approach and tactical strategies to better position yourself in this year's tournament?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Sorry, could you repeat? Repeat the question, please.

Q. After missing out on your first championship, what are your goals for this year's China Open? How did you adjust your mental approach and tactical strategies to better position yourself in this year's tournament?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: China Open for me, I don't know what to say. Just coming from Hangzhou, I know it's the first time I lost the final, missed the final there. It's a bit sad at the moment.

For me it's still a good week. I'm still looking forward from here. Tennis, always losing. Most of the time in tennis you're losing, then you finish the week, right? You're not winning every week. There's only one player can win to the end. Last week maybe two (smiling).

What I want to say, every single time we are like this. We know how to out these emotions and focus on next week.

I think my tennis goal still is pretty okay, just to be a little bit prepared of my mental, which is not tough I would say. Every single time, most of the time I was losing, losing, losing, losing. Yeah, hopefully I will be here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Chinese.

Q. Your first reaction after the match, you said, This is another runner-up finish I need to think about, think back on. So what did you think about it?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: I did not have enough time to think about it because after Hangzhou I had to hurry here to Beijing. I think on the tour, I need to really unwind and relax because every day I'm facing a lot of matches, a lot of losses.

It wasn't too much regret, but I need to have more time to digest it.

Q. In preparing for the China Open, the atmosphere you are seeing, what do you think of the atmosphere of tennis in China now?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: I think it's really good. Yesterday I did not expect that many people watching us practice. I was practicing and Jerry Shang was practicing. We saw so many people around us on the practice courts.

It's really good because it's a practice session. Watching a practice session might not be as much fun as watching a match. A lot of people chose to watch the practice session. That was surprising to me.

I think that what we have been doing, we are on the right track.

Q. Recently you became a father. Would you consider bringing your baby on of tour? Would that help you unwind a little bit?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: The baby is still very young, one month old. We do not have any plans of taking the baby on the road. Shanghai next week we might consider it because we have some friends coming in.

For now, other tournaments in Europe, we wouldn't take the baby. The earliest might be Australian Open next year.

This is one option, to have the baby around us. It is one way to see the baby grow up. I think some of the athletes have done this. This is a new thing for me. I would love to try it.

Q. You've been really busy in the past few days. Can you talk about the player party last night. Talk about the atmosphere.

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: I really enjoyed it. I haven't been to a lot of places in Beijing. That was a new place for me, the player party. We usually are just between the hotel and the venue. It was a very interesting experience for us to get to go to different places. I actually bought the outfit last week just for the player party.

There's so many things I'd like to try. Last night I tried something new. I haven't posted the pictures on social media yet. Probably in the coming few days I will. I tried an activity last night. I thought those were really interesting experiences.

While participating in the player party, I love to try out the different activities with local elements. These are something new to me.

Q. About the China Open, in 2019 you have really good memories. The first-round win over Edmund was important to you. Do you have any recollections about that match and expectations for this tournament?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Of course, I remember it. It was a painful loss. Last week in Zhuhai, it was also a loss after a very close tiebreak.

Coming into the China Open the first round, the match was very important. There was only one break in the first set, then three tiebreaks. There were so many close, critical moments. It was a big challenge for me, just like what I did last week. I'm very happy with the victory in the first round in 2019.

It was very close. It was played on the Diamond Court. He was the No. 1 seed. That was an experience for me to tangibly feel the difference between me and the top players. That was a very memorable match.