Daniil Medvedev, the former U.S. Open champion and last year’s Wimbledon semifinalist, experienced a surprising setback in the Halle Open. The Russian third seed, who was undefeated on grass this season, faced a formidable opponent in Zhang Zhizhen, a rising Chinese player ranked 42nd in the world.
The match was a rollercoaster of emotions. Medvedev started shakily but rallied in the second set, showcasing his powerful serve with five aces and breaking Zhang twice. However, the third set was a different story. Medvedev struggled with double faults, allowing Zhang to seize momentum and force a tiebreak.
Zhang, known for his resilience in long rallies, capitalized on Medvedev’s errors and clinched the tiebreak, securing his first ever victory over a top-five ranked opponent on grass. This win also marked a sweet revenge for Zhang, as he had previously lost to Medvedev in a third-set tiebreak.
“It was a really tough match,” Zhang said. “Last time I lost to him in a third set tiebreak. When we went into a third set tiebreak today I was thinking, perfect moment for revenge.”
Zhang will now face American Christopher Eubanks in the quarterfinals. Eubanks, himself a rising star, pulled off a remarkable upset by defeating defending champion Alexander Bublik.
Meanwhile, German world number four Alexander Zverev continued his impressive run in Halle. He battled past Lorenzo Sonego in a close match, winning a tight tiebreak in the second set to reach the last eight.
“Extremely happy with my performance, I’m enjoying the moment in these beautiful courts, happy with the way I’m playing,” Zverev said.
The second seed will face Arthur Fils in the next round. Fils, a promising young French player, defeated fellow German Dominik Koepfer to secure his spot in the quarterfinals. These upsets highlight the unpredictable nature of the Halle Open and showcase the emergence of new talent on the grasscourt circuit.
