The three Chinese tennis players will be considered to have met the standard once they reach the second round, with Zhang Zhizhen taking the court first today to face the challenge.

The humiliating first-round elimination of Chinese male players in the China Open qualifying singles unexpectedly cast a shadow over Zhang Zhizhen, Shang Juncheng, and Bu Yunchaokete. The three were written off before even stepping onto the main stage, which was quite unexpected.

Actually, many people lost faith in the three ahead of time, and their performances since the beginning of the Chinese season were just one of the reasons.

In the first round of the Hangzhou 250 tournament, Bu Yunchaokete faced his senior compatriot Zhang Zhizhen. Before the match, fans, netizens, and betting companies all favored the Chinese No.1 to advance easily; unfortunately, Bu was defeated by the recently recovered Zhang.

Zhang Zhizhen’s comeback brought surprise and raised hopes that he might progress further in Hangzhou. However, he unexpectedly lost in straight sets in the second round to lucky loser Svrčina.

The shock over Zhang Zhizhen’s exit stems from the fact that against the well-performing and physically strong Bu, he played aggressively and dominantly, but when facing the smaller, leaner Svrčina—often described by fans as an underdeveloped player—he appeared toothless and completely different in style.

As the defending champion, Shang Juncheng fell in the second round of the Chengdu 250, ending his title defense early. However, considering his opponent Brandon Nakashima’s strength, the loss was understandable.

Many believe that in a 250-level tournament with relatively few top players, none of the three managed to advance far. Now, moving on to the higher-level China Open 500, facing many more strong opponents, expectations for them are even lower.

Moreover, the current pessimism about Zhang Zhizhen, Shang Juncheng, and Bu Yunchaokete’s chances at this year’s China Open is also linked to their draws.

Bu Yunchaokete was drawn to face Deminarl in the first round, considered the worst luck among the three. Some fans and netizens boldly predicted that Bu, who reached back-to-back semifinals last year in Hangzhou and the China Open, might now face back-to-back first-round exits this year.

The reason is simple: besides his flop against the recently recovered Zhang Zhizhen in Hangzhou despite high expectations, facing Deminarl—who is ranked and stronger than him—in the China Open first round naturally increases Bu’s difficulty in advancing.

Many are already worried about Bu Yunchaokete not having played yet; the challenges ahead could be even harder to bear.

Before the Chinese season began this year, Bu Yunchaokete set a very modest goal based on his current form: to earn 200 points during the Chinese season to secure his participation in next year’s Australian Open, which would satisfy him. Exiting in the first round at the Hangzhou 250 and potentially doing the same at the China Open 500, even with the Shanghai Masters left, it seems unlikely he will reach that 200-point target. It’s unfortunate how one misfortune after another keeps hitting Bu with no way out.

Compared to Bu Yunchaokete having to face a top player like Deminarl in the first round, Zhang Zhizhen and Shang Juncheng faced qualifiers in their first rounds, seemingly luckier draws, but actually not.

Some netizens pointed out that the players in this year’s China Open qualifiers are generally strong, with many top-100 players included. Judging by Zhang Zhizhen and Shang Juncheng’s performances in Hangzhou and Chengdu respectively, they have no guarantee of winning against any opponent, so their fate is not much different from Bu Yunchaokete’s.

Furthermore, even if Zhang Zhizhen and Shang Juncheng pass the first round, their China Open singles journeys will likely end in the second round.

Zhang Zhizhen will face Sinner in the second round, while Shang Juncheng will play Menchik. Fans and netizens consider these draws “hellish,” making it nearly impossible for either to cause an upset. Even with home crowd support, reversing their fortunes seems very unlikely.

Many emphasize that while Shang Juncheng might still have a slight chance to pull off an upset against Menchik by giving his all, Zhang Zhizhen defeating world No.1 Sinner is almost an impossible feat with no hope at all.

It is precisely because of the tough situations and draws faced by Zhang Zhizhen, Shang Juncheng, and Bu Yunchaokete that many have said before the tournament that just reaching the second round would be an achievement. Upon closer analysis, fans and netizens are not underestimating their own players; the opponents are genuinely too strong. This afternoon at 2:30, Zhang Zhizhen will be the first to compete in men’s singles against Altmaier to face the test. The betting odds give Zhang 2.62 to 1 and Altmaier 1.5 to 1. Whether the former Chinese No.1 can defy the odds has become one of the biggest highlights of today’s China Open and deserves attention!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River Starry Sky)