Sound_Brand Zhang: Better Mentality for Wimbledon, Aiming for the Second Week

The main draw of the 2024 Wimbledon Championship is about to begin, and China’s top player, Zhang Zhizhen, will make his debut as a seeded player in a Grand Slam tournament.

Zhang Zhizhen

Commenting on his first appearance as a seed at a Grand Slam, Zhang said, “It’s something I’m very happy about! Knowing that there’s a dedicated locker room for seeds at Wimbledon is quite novel. The seeds’ locker room is downstairs, while other players are upstairs.”

Zhang mentioned that he’s currently in decent form, maybe not as good as expected, but he can still adjust before Sunday. He also noted that the grass courts at Wimbledon are slightly slower than Halle, and Eastbourne is even slower, requiring quick adaptation.

“This time around, it will be much better than my previous two appearances. For various reasons, I couldn’t secure a first-round victory at Wimbledon. It’s normal to feel nervous before matches, as it shows you have the desire to win, not just going through the motions. Now, my goal is not just to win one match; I’m focusing more on how to advance to the second week. There will be some nerves, but not too much,” he added.

Reflecting on his experiences at the ATP Halle event, Zhang said, “Playing against Medvedev and Sinner made me realize how crucial serving is. Even though Sinner’s baseline game is highly regarded, his serve was also impressive and caused me significant trouble. Everyone has their unique style – Medvedev’s balls are a bit slower, while Sinner’s baseline speed increases rapidly. For me, it requires boosting my own speed by one or two levels to keep up with him, which is quite demanding. After Roland Garros, I mentioned the need to beat more players upfront to have opportunities to compete against the world’s top few, increasing my learning curve.”

Zhang’s first-round opponent at Wimbledon is Jules Jeanin, who emerged from the qualifiers. Their match is scheduled to start around 19:30 (Beijing Time) on Monday evening.

“I’ve played against him in challenger events and once in the qualifying round in Lyon, but not on grass. He has a good serve, and his baseline game seems quite flat and aggressive, though his consistency might have its ups and downs. Considering he made it through three rounds of qualifying, he won’t be an easy opponent. Despite his lower ranking, he poses a certain level of threat,” Zhang concluded.