Advanced Search

Related News

Home » Sports » Tennis

China's top ranked player cries out for sponsor's support

By Ma Yue | October 12, 2015, Monday | Online Edition

CHINA’S top ranked player Zhang Ze is calling for more support from sponsors after making a first round exit at 2015 Shanghai Rolex Masters today.

“What I need most is money,” the 25-year-old Jiangsu Province native said in a post-match press conference after losing to Martin Klizan of Slovak 6-7(8), 2-6 at Minhang’s Qizhong Tennis Center.

“I’m only training with one foreign coach, and getting no help from others, not to mention masseur or physio. Jiangsu tennis team pays his wages, and I cover his expenses to go to matches with me. I think my ranking is an obstacle. I need to raise it to attract more sponsors.”

Zhang is currently ranked 182 in the ATP world ranking. He is being coached by former Algerian-French player Tarik Benhabiles. His highest ATP ranking was 148 in May 2013. Zhang has never won a singles match in the Shanghai tournament, though he partnered Roger Federer in the doubles last year and advanced into the second round.

“I always wanted to win (a singles match) in Shanghai as I’ve never won here. I got myself fully prepared for this match, and had lot of chances in the first set,” said the Chinese wildcard.

The two had a head-to-head fight in the first set, breaking each other’s serves starting from the fifth game.

The score was tied at 5-5 in the tie break before Zhang made it 6-5 to clinch the first set point. But he blew it with a wide return to settle at 6-6.

Both the players wasted one more set point before Klizan held tight to his second set point to close the near one-hour set.

The match went on smoothly for the Slovakian in the second set, while Zhang appeared to be exhausted.

“There is a problem with my right shoulder, which limited my serves, and allowing my opponent to manage a lot of returns,” said Zhang. “He (Klizan) was much more relaxed in the second set and played better on key points. The real gap between us was exposed.”

Zhang will stay on in the tournament for the doubles, partnering compatriot Gong Maoxin. Their first round opponents are Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah from Columbia. He said his dream of becoming the first Chinese male player to reach the world’s top 100 ranking remains the same.

“We have always been trying and never gave up. As I grow older and expenses go up, I need to speed up too,” said Zhang. “The big tournaments like the Shanghai Rolex Masters can raise my confidence and help me in career. Instead of just focusing on how to bring out the best form, I will also start to pay more attention to after-match recovery, stamina building and other details given my age.”

Klizan described his performance in the match “the worst of the season.”

“The first set was very difficult, especially when playing against a Chinese player in front of the home crowds. I just tried to stay in the match and was lucky. Whoever won the first set would be more confident into the second set. If Zhang won the first, it might be the same story for him.

“The crowd is very fair. Not all audience in the world are fair,” the Slovakian added, whose next opponent will be the tournament’s top seed Novak Djokovic.

 

Tennis



 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend