From the Davis Cup to Challenger events to the tour, a streak of seven consecutive wins suggests Zhang Zhizhen may be on the path back to his peak.

Many fans know Chinese male tennis player Zhang Zhizhen well. Back in 2021, he won three straight matches in Wimbledon qualifying rounds, becoming the first Chinese male player to enter the Wimbledon main draw. In 2022, Zhang was the first Chinese man to reach the Top 100 in world rankings. Following that, he reached the quarterfinals of Masters events two years in a row. However, for various reasons, Zhang’s world ranking plummeted to a low point at the start of 2026. So how has he been performing recently? Let this article take you through it.

In early February, at the Davis Cup World Group I Play-offs held in Nansha, Guangzhou, when Wu Yibing evened the score, Zhang Zhizhen first teamed up with Zhou Yi in doubles, battling through three sets to defeat the Portuguese duo Borges and Cabral, putting China ahead. Then Zhang secured the victory for China by winning his singles match in straight sets against Borges, who had previously advanced to the second week of a Grand Slam. Notably, this marked China’s first entry into the Davis Cup World Group I.

Last week, Zhang Zhizhen, Zhou Yi, and Sun Fajing competed together at the ATP CH75 Brisbane Challenger in Australia. Unfortunately, Zhou Yi and Sun Fajing were both eliminated in the first round, ending their runs. Zhang, however, defeated Australian wildcard Marinkov in straight sets, becoming the only Chinese player still remaining in the draw. This also marked Zhang’s first main draw Challenger win of the 2026 season.

In the second round against the tournament’s ninth seed, Japanese player Yoshihito Nishioka, Zhang took the first set 6–4. Though the second set went to a tiebreak, Zhang held firm and won the set, securing the match victory. This was Zhang’s first win over Nishioka in their head-to-head encounters. In the quarterfinals, Zhang beat Japanese player Matsuoka 6–3, 7–5 to advance to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Zhang faced the third seed, Japanese player Sakamoto Rei, who has previously won three Challenger titles and is a formidable opponent. Zhang delivered an outstanding performance, allowing his opponent only five games throughout the match. After this decisive win, Zhang was closer than ever to the title. In the final, he faced the fourth seed, Australian player Bolt. Zhang maintained control and swept Bolt 6–2, 6–4 to claim his fourth Challenger title. This was Zhang’s first Challenger championship since 2023.

Following his title win, Zhang competed in the ATP 500 Doha event using a protected ranking. In the first round, he faced Spanish qualifier Bayeña, a player with two tour-level titles to his name and considerable strength. In a tightly contested first set, Zhang broke Bayeña’s serve to take it 6–4; he continued his momentum and won the second set 6–4, earning his first tour-level victory of the 2026 season.

With this streak of seven wins, Zhang Zhizhen’s world ranking rose to No. 264. Although still far from his career peak ranking, he has regained his confidence. That’s today’s tennis story; more to come tomorrow. (Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)