It is only fitting that Zhang Zhizhen finishes the calendar year in the same way he began it: representing his beloved China on the international stage.
The 28-year-old, who has been at the forefront of a historic year for tennis in his country, spearheads Team China at the United Cup, which begins Friday in Perth. In 2024, Zhang rose to a career-high of No. 31 in the PIF ATP Rankings, reached his first tour-level final at the Hangzhou Open, and partnered with Wang Xinyu to claim the silver medal in the mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics. Yet it is not just Zhang who is reaping the rewards of his success.
“If people are watching us do something and then trying to follow us, that’s great news for us,” Zhang told ATPTour.com in Perth. “Most Chinese people are watching table tennis or badminton at the Olympics, not tennis. But suddenly they’re watching [our] final live on TV.
“Right away, more people are knowing us and more people are trying to play, trying to learn. That’s really good.”
All smiles in Perth 😊#UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/W0D9gzxRGk
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) December 26, 2024
Zhang began the year as the only Chinese man inside the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings, but is now joined by a new generation of talent in Shang Juncheng and Buyunchaokete. #NextGenATP star Shang produced an inspired title run in Chengdu in September, becoming just the second Chinese man to triumph at an ATP Tour event (Wu, Dallas 2023).
For Zhang, this is nothing more than a source of motivation.
“I'm always seeing this pressure in a good way, they're pushing me,” said Zhang, who sits five spots ahead of Shang at World No. 45. “For sure they are going to pass me one day, but they're also pushing me to go forward.
“They give me a more positive way to look for these things. More energy is coming through. As an athlete, you want to keep the best result for as long as you can, [whether it] be Chinese No. 1 or even World No. 1.”
Ever since he recorded his maiden ATP Tour win in 2015, Zhang has established himself as a trailblazer in Chinese tennis, and 2024 was no different. With his booming groundstrokes and baseline aggression, Zhang became the first Chinese man to win a main-draw match at Wimbledon, but his run to a first tour-level final was particularly notable.
“It was a really incredible week because I was really not expecting to be able to play the week to the final because I had some knee injuries,” said Zhang, who fell to Marin Cilic in the championship match. “I was just trying to play.
“This year, 2024, [has been] really good, really successful. I'm quite happy for what I'm doing, and also with my team.”
Donning his country’s red and gold, Zhang will kickstart his 2025 campaign at the United Cup, the 18-country mixed-teams event. Team China will take on Team Brazil in their opening tie Friday inside RAC Arena in Perth.
After the withdrawal of WTA No. 5 Qinwen Zheng, Zhang will now team up with Zhang Shuai, a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, in an entertaining mixed doubles rubber.
