ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 3, 2024

Zhang Zhizhen

Press Conference

Z. BERGS/Zhang Zhizhen

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference of Zhang Zhizhen. We will start with some questions in English. First of all, I know this is not the result you were hoping for, but could you share with us what you could have improved tonight?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: Well, I mean, tonight, he played really well. The result was bad, but I think I did everything. I tried many things, but he was really acting very well. Even on the break point he had a really good serve a couple points, and the whole match he was really aggressive and, yeah, he was playing really well tonight, so, I mean, he deserve to win tonight.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Chinese, please.

Q. At the second set you were behind 1-4, and then you broke his serve game. Then we saw some ups and downs. Then we see the bad result. Could you tell us what happened after you broke his game?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: At the second set, generally speaking, I was in a disadvantageous position, not in terms of points, but in terms of everything. I broke his game once, I can't say it's pure luck, but I tried everything. I tried what I'm supposed to do. Then he had very good returns on my game. Also, he had very good returning serves, while at the same time I didn't have very good returns. So, I think he is doing very well, he's playing very well tonight.

Q. Personally, which game or which point is the most important for you?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: I think I was under a lot of pressure before the match, but the moment I arrived at the court I didn't feel the stress, so that's the good thing.

Talking about the opportunities, I think in the first set I had two errors when I returned his serve for two times. I think that could have been an opportunity, but I didn't seize it because I was near the baseline. I got some points right, but generally speaking it was perhaps a little bit too aggressive.

Q. Last year you were the only Chinese player to come to the next round in Rolex Shanghai Masters. We had three Chinese players last year. Any advice you want to give to your peer players?

ZHANG ZHIZHEN: I think I don't have any advice to them. I think they can just focus on playing their tennis (smiling).