Zhang Zhizhen shines in both singles and doubles! China successfully advances to the Davis Cup World Group I

On February 7th, the Davis Cup World Group I Playoff match between China and Portugal concluded at the Nansha International Tennis Center. With thousands of spectators cheering and witnessing the event, China achieved two wins in one day, rallying to defeat Portugal 3-1 and successfully entering World Group I! The Nansha International Tennis Center was awash in red!

Playing two matches in one day, Zhang Zhizhen undoubtedly became the key contributor to China’s advancement. First, he teamed up with Zhou Yi to win the doubles, helping China take the lead; then he defeated Portugal’s top singles player Borges in singles, securing the 3-1 victory. This marks the first time China has qualified for World Group I since the current Davis Cup format was implemented!

Zhou Yi / Zhang Zhizhen VS Cabral / Borges

On the 6th, the two singles matches ended evenly at 1-1. The first match on the 7th was the doubles showdown, with Zhang Zhizhen and Zhou Yi facing Borges and Cabral. Each team won one of the first two sets. In the decisive third set, the competition intensified. At 4-5, when Portugal faced a must-hold game, China delivered a crucial break and closed the set 6-4, overturning the overall score to 2-1 in their favor.

Zhou Yi / Zhang Zhizhen

Zhou Yi

In the fourth men’s singles match, China made a last-minute change, with Zhang Zhizhen replacing Bu Yunchaokete to face Borges. This was their first singles encounter. In the first set, after a 5-5 tie, Zhang secured a critical break and then held serve to take the set 7-5. The second set followed a similar pattern: tied at 4-4, Zhang broke serve again and sealed the match with a 6-4 win, locking in China’s 3-1 overall victory!

Zhang Zhizhen VS Borges

Zhang Zhizhen

The Chinese team was ecstatic after their win. All players and captain Wu Di entered the court wrapped in the national flag to thank the supportive fans in Nansha. Immersed in the victorious atmosphere, they lingered long after the match, patiently signing autographs and taking photos with every fan. As the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches, the young Chinese team presented the best New Year gift to all their supporters in Nansha.

Complete scores of this event

Bu Yunchaokete 4-6 / 4-6 Rosa

Wu Yibing 6-1 / 7-6(3) Borges

Zhang Zhizhen / Zhou Yi 6-4 / 3-6 / 6-4 Borges / Cabral

Zhang Zhizhen 7-5 / 6-4 Borges

Zhou Yi

Wu Yibing

Zhang Zhizhen

Regarding his two wins in one day, Zhang Zhizhen said after the match: “I think our doubles performance was quite good today. Of course, Zhou Yi helped a lot, easing much of my pressure. His returns at crucial moments were excellent. After winning the doubles, I felt more confident going into the singles.” About his singles play, Zhang added: “My serve was slightly better than my opponent’s, and occasionally I managed to return several good shots in a game.”

Zhang Zhizhen interviewed by CCTV after the match

Speaking about partnering with Zhang Zhizhen in doubles to secure the crucial point that put China ahead, Zhou Yi said: “When we arrived, we decided Zhang should play doubles because of his extensive experience. Then we thought about who would partner him, and it ended up being me, which I was very happy about. Despite some setbacks during the match, Zhang gave me reminders and support, making the game go very smoothly.”

Zhang Zhizhen / Zhou Yi at the post-match press conference

Nansha truly is a lucky place for Chinese tennis. In November 2024, the Chinese women’s team defeated Belgium 3-2 in the Billie Jean King Cup here to qualify for the World Group playoffs; less than two years later, the Chinese men’s team once again triumphed here, beating Portugal 3-1 to advance to the Davis Cup World Group I! We look forward to witnessing many more glorious moments for Chinese tennis here in the future!

This event was hosted by the Tennis Management Center of the General Administration of Sport, and the Chinese Tennis Association; organized by the Guangzhou Nansha District Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau; operated by Guangzhou Nantai Culture and Sports Development Co., Ltd.; co-organized by Guangzhou Juntai Sports Development Co., Ltd. and the Nansha District Tennis Association; with support from the Guangdong Provincial Sports Bureau.