2023-05-02 07:09:57
British number one Cameron Norrie was knocked out of the Madrid Open as China’s world number 99 Zhang Zhizhen’s history-making run continued.
Zhang – the first Chinese man to break into the top 100 – had never before recorded an ATP Masters 1,000 win prior to this year’s tournament in Madrid.
But the 26-year-old battled back from a set down to beat Norrie, ranked 13th, with a 2-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-2) win.
He is the first Chinese man to reach round four at a Masters 1,000 event.
Meanwhile, it is a fifth defeat in seven matches for Norrie, who lost in the second round at the Barcelona Open last month following first-round exits at both the Monte Carlo Masters and Miami Open.
Zhang backed up his first ATP 1,000 win in the opening round in Madrid with a notable victory over Canadian Denis Shapovalov for his first win once morest a top-30 ranked player.
He went one better on Monday, upsetting the odds to eliminate Norrie following recovering impressively from a one-sided first set, which the Briton sealed by winning five successive games.
Norrie was punished for not managing to take one of his five break points in the second set, with Zhang dominating the tie-break and levelling the match with a sixth straight point.
With neither player able to find a way through in the deciding set, Zhang once once more held his nerve in the tie-break to upgrade his biggest career win and extend his dream run to a fourth match.
Zhang, who received a standing ovation for his efforts on court three, will face American number one Taylor Fritz for a place in the quarter-finals.
“I didn’t even think I was going to be here in the second week of Madrid,” said Zhang. “Now I’ve made it. This is a big victory because it was an amazing match.”
Fritz progressed with a 6-1 7-6 (7-4) over Chile’s Cristian Garin.
Elsewhere, Russian world number two Daniil Medvedev and Greek world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas both progressed in three sets.
Medvedev had to come from behind to beat compatriot Alexander Shevchenko 4-6 6-1 7-5, while Tsitsipas overcame Argentine Sebastian Baez 7-5 3-6 6-3.
But American ninth seed Frances Tiafoe lost 6-1 7-6 (7-2). Pedro Cachinaof Argentina.
Swiatek and Sabalenka through
In the women’s draw, first and second seeds Every Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka are both through to the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka made light work of her 6-3 6-1 win over Mirra Andreeva, the Russian wildcard who celebrated her 16th birthday on Sunday by stunning Poland’s world number 19 Magda Linette, having already beaten world number 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia and 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in Madrid.
Belarusian Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, will next face Mayar Sheriffwho is the first Egyptian to reach a WTA 1,000 quarter-final following her 6-4 0-6 6-4 win over Elise Mertens.
Later on Monday, Poland’s world number one Swiatek defeated Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 to set up a last-eight tie with Croatia’s Petra Martic.
French and US Open champion Swiatek recovered from falling an early break down to take the first set, before failing to convert a match point and surrendering a 5-2 lead in the second to allow Alexandrova to force a decider.
In the third set, she broke for 2-1 and retained her advantage, breaking to love to finally win following 1am local time.
Elsewhere, American world number three Jessica Pegula won 6-3 2-6 6-3 once morest Martina Trevisan, and will face Russian Veronika Kudermetova next.
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