Chinese star Zhang Zhizhen earned his first ATP Masters 1000 win on Thursday when he overcame Austrian qualifier Jurij Rodionov 7-6(6), 6-4 at the Mutua Madrid Open.
The 26-year-old, who is making his debut in Madrid, rallied from a break down in the first set and saved one set point at 5/6 in the first-set tie-break to move ahead. He then struck 12 winners in the second set and earned the decisive break in the fifth game to advance after one hour and 33 minutes.
With his first tour-level win of the season, Zhang has climbed four spots to No. 95 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. Last year, he became the first Chinese man to crack the world’s Top 100, before he reached a career-high No. 91 in February. Zhang will face Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the second round.
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In other action, Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori earned the biggest win of his career, overcoming two-time Madrid champion Andy Murray 6-2, 7-6(7) to reach the second round.
Vavassaori serve and volleyed throughout the one-hour, 33-minute clash, winning 76 per cent (13/17) of net points. The 27-year-old squandered a break advantage in the second set, but held his nerve in the tie-break to earn his first ATP Masters 1000 win on his fifth match point.
“It is a dream come true,” Vavassori said. “To play at a tournament like this, in a court like this against a true champion like him. I have followed his whole career. He is a hero for everybody on the Tour. I think until the second half of the second set, I played the best tennis of my life. Then the nerves came in, but at the end, just joy.”
The 27-year-old, who is up 23 spots to No. 141 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, will next face World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev. Vavassori’s biggest win prior to his victory against World No. 52 Murray was against then-World No. 59 Nicolas Jarry in Marrakech.
German lucky loser Jan-Lennard Struff downed Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-1 to earn his fourth Top 50 clay-court win of the season. The World No. 65, who reached the quarter-finals in Monte-Carlo earlier this month, next plays #NextGenATP American Ben Shelton.
Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki defeated Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-3, while Cristian Garin overcame Marc-Andrea Huesler 7-6(5), 6-2. Pedro Cachin defeated Jordan wild card Abdullah Shelbayh 6-1, 6-4 and Marcos Giron moved past Nuno Borges 6-2, 7-6(7).