Sounds: Zhang Zhizheng – Being a Grand Slam Seed Brings Pressure, But a Calm Mind is Key to Success

On July 1st, local time, in the first round of the men’s singles at Wimbledon, China’s top player Zhang Zhizheng defeated qualifier Jules Violay 7-6(4)/6-3/6-2, securing his first career victory in the main draw of Wimbledon.

After this win, Zhang has now achieved a singles victory at all four Grand Slams. “This accomplishment should have come a bit sooner and earlier. The first place I entered the main draw is where I finally got my first main draw win, which at least indicates that I’ve been making progress, not sliding down but consistently moving up.”

Reflecting on his performance in the match, Zhang said, “I’ve played against him two or three times before, and I knew he can be inconsistent, sometimes playing great and other times making errors. He has a very good serve that can definitely pose a threat on grass, but today, what was important was winning that crucial first-set tiebreak and maintaining stability in the second set, even after getting broken. I didn’t get too nervous or frustrated. I thought, worst case scenario, we’d play another tiebreak, and I remained quite calm, which I believe was crucial for the win.”

This Wimbledon marks the first time Zhang competes as a seeded player in a Grand Slam event. He admits that being a seed brings additional pressure. “Especially as a first-time seed, and playing on grass where there are many uncertainties. My opponent is a qualifier with a strong serve, so there was quite a lot of pressure on me. After securing the first two sets, things became a bit easier.”

Talking about his second-round opponent, Struff, Zhang notes that he has lost both their previous encounters and hasn’t done any specific preparation yet. “I don’t think I’ve ever broken his serve in those two matches; I don’t remember seeing a deuce. So, it won’t be an easy match for me, and it will certainly be tough. I don’t feel like a seed going against him; I rather feel like he’s the seed playing against me. I’ll do my best to prepare well and see if I can give him some trouble.”

(Written and edited by Dato, interview and photos by Felix)