On June 21st local time, the ATP 500 Halle Open concluded its quarterfinals in men’s singles. Chinese player Zhang Zhizheng staged a remarkable comeback from 2-5 down in the deciding set, ultimately defeating American and 2022 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. This milestone victory made Zhang the first Chinese player to reach the semifinals of a grass court tournament, setting a new record!
The nearly two-hour, three-set battle was filled with twists and turns. Zhang secured an early break in the seventh game of the opening set, winning it 6-4. In the second set, McDonald started with serve, and both players held their service games, leading to a tied score. In the crucial tenth game, Zhang faltered on key points, losing the set 4-6. McDonald took an early lead in the decider, going up 5-2, but Zhang rallied, winning five consecutive games to seal the win 7-5. This triumph lifted Zhang’s provisional ranking to No. 33, potentially securing him a seeded spot at Wimbledon.
This marks Zhang’s second semifinal appearance in a singles tournament (after the 2023 Hamburg Open). In his post-match interview, he said, “It’s a surprise to reach the semis on grass, although I do enjoy the surface. My results haven’t been great in the past. I don’t like clay, but my clay performances have been better. None of that matters now. After these two weeks on grass, my confidence has grown significantly.”
The semifinal lineup is set, with Zhang facing newly-crowned world number one Jannik Sinner for the first time. Looking ahead to the challenge, Zhang commented, “I’m really looking forward to the semifinal, just like when I played against Daniil (Medvedev). Yannick (Sinner) and I started around the same time in challenger tournaments, and now they’re No. 5 and No. 1. I’ve always been curious about the gap between us. I’ll enjoy the match and try to make it difficult for him.”
In the other quarterfinals, two-time finalist Alexander Zverev rallied past young Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, setting up a clash with Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, who defeated American Tommy Paul 7-6(5), 6-4. Zverev holds a perfect 3-0 record against Hurkacz in their previous encounters.
ATP 500 Halle Open Semifinals:
Sinner vs. Zhang
Zverev vs. Hurkacz
(Written and edited by Wang Fei)
Match Report: Zhang Zhizheng Makes History at ATP Halle, Reaches Grass Court Semifinals to Face New World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/tennis-hotline/12204.html
