Zhang upsets Medvedev at Halle Open, Zverev advances
Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates a point from Italy's Lorenzo Sonego during the men's singles match at the ATP Tour, Halle, Germany, Wednesday June 19, 2024. Credit: AP/Friso Gentsch
HALLE, Germany — Zhang Zhizhen recorded his third career victory over a top-10 opponent when he upset third-seeded Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (5) at the grass-court Halle Open on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old Zhang, who is ranked No. 42, trailed 3-5 in the third-set tiebreaker before winning four straight points against the fifth-ranked Medvedev.
Zhang is the first Chinese player to reach the Halle quarterfinals. He hadn't beaten a top-10 opponent since defeating then-No. 5 Casper Ruud at last year's U.S. Open.
Also Wednesday, second-seeded Alexander Zverev beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 7-6 (5). Zverev, a German who is ranked No. 4, improved to 4-0 against Sonego. Zverev is a two-time finalist at Halle.
Earlier, Jan-Lennard Struff overcame a strong challenge from grass-court debutant Luciano Darderi, who saved nine match points before bowing out.
Struff, who hit 21 aces, was a break down in the decider but rallied past his rival 6-7 (2), 7-5, 7-6 (10) after fending off a match point in the final tiebreaker.
Struff, who needed 2 hours and 31 minutes to prevail, will next take on Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Germany's Alexander Zverev puts on a shirt of the German national soccer team after his men's singles match against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego at the ATP Tour, Halle, Germany, Wednesday June 19, 2024. Credit: AP/Friso Gentsch
It was Darderi’s first grass-court match on the ATP Tour. Darderi grabbed the spotlight in February when he won the title in Cordoba as a qualifier. He is now ranked 34th.