Zhang Zhizhen suffered a first-round exit, failing to defy the odds, while Wei Sijia clashed with fans, sparking a heated exchange.

Zhang Zhizhen and Wei Sijia both became hot topics post-match, with Zhang failing to deliver a breakthrough win for Chinese men's tennis and thus not contradicting the betting odds, and Wei involved in a conflict with spectators during her game.

Although Zhang faced qualifier Atmarna in the first round—a challenging opponent for many—there were still high hopes for the former top Chinese player, with fans eager to see if he could surprise everyone at the China Open despite widespread doubt, and as the first Chinese male player to take the court, whether he could open the singles event with a victory.

While Atmarna is not particularly well-known in tennis circles, his strong performance this year—reaching the semifinals at the Cincinnati Masters by defeating several seeded players and advancing from qualifiers to the main draw at the China Open—raised concerns that Zhang might struggle to get past him, potentially resulting in a first-round loss.

However, considering Zhang’s home-court advantage and the lessons learned after exiting in the second round in Hangzhou, many believed that he would show a different level of performance against Atmarna and not let down his Chinese supporters.

Unfortunately, judging from Zhang’s performance in the first set, it was unclear whether Atmarna was just too strong or Zhang was slow to find his rhythm; he frequently found himself in trouble and seemed unable to withstand his opponent’s power during rallies. Losing the first set 4-6 pushed Zhang into a do-or-die situation, prompting fans watching the live stream to worry about his chances.

As the second set began, while everyone hoped Zhang would rally with determination and the commanding presence befitting a former Asian No.1, his performance surprisingly declined compared to the first set.

He quickly fell behind 1-3 and then was decisively defeated 2-6 in the second set by Atmarna, resulting in a first-round exit at the China Open.

After just 72 minutes of resistance, Zhang was swiftly eliminated and now must prepare early for the Shanghai Masters.

Following the match, some fans and netizens bluntly stated that since Zhang has struggled to achieve good results at ATP 250 and 500 events, expectations for him at the highly competitive Masters events are low, with many saying, "As long as he avoids a first-round exit, we will be satisfied."

Wei Sijia was another widely discussed Chinese player on the second day of the China Open, besides Zhang Zhizhen.

The attention on this young player from Guangxi wasn’t because she was swept in straight sets by Turkey’s Senmez with a double bagel, but rather due to an incident during the match where she exchanged words with fans.

Before the match against Senmez, Wei was also not favored by bookmakers, as reflected in her odds of 2.5 compared to Senmez’s 1.3.

Moreover, Wei’s lack of height and strength meant that most hoped she would simply perform to her potential and avoid regrets.

Surprisingly, not only was Wei clearly outmatched by Senmez, but as one blunt viewer in the live chat commented, "She was completely outclassed."

She fell behind 1-2 in the first set, a precarious position. Many expected her to raise her level and focus to prevent the match from becoming one-sided early, but unexpectedly, an incident occurred.

At one point, a fan shouted loudly, "This player isn’t good," which Wei surprisingly responded to by waving her arms and challenging the fan, saying, "You come down here, you try."

Wei’s words immediately made the atmosphere extremely awkward.

Interestingly, before this episode, Wei seemed to show some fighting spirit, but after this unexpected exchange, possibly shaken mentally, the match was completely dominated by Senmez.

After winning only two games in the first set, Wei’s subsequent performance looked more like she was there to practice than to compete fiercely for victory. Her rapid decline was shocking, culminating in Senmez delivering a double bagel in the second set to end the match, finally ending the ordeal for fans and viewers.

After the match, people’s focus was not on how Wei lost so decisively or why she only won two games, but rather on why the fan insulted her under such pressure, causing Wei to break down.

Later, insiders revealed that the fan’s comment "this player isn’t good" was actually directed at Senmez, not Wei, and that the fan had been cheering for Wei all along. The fan was baffled by Wei’s strong reaction, which sparked the widely publicized confrontation between player and fan. The fan later expressed feeling wronged and misunderstood.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlight River’s Starry Sky)