[Source: Xinhua News Agency]
In the mixed doubles tennis event at the Paris Olympics, the Chinese pair Zhang Zhizhen/Wang Xinyu made a breakthrough and won the silver medal. Recently, after the end of the journey of the Shanghai Masters, Zhang Zhizhen said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency, "This is not an overnight thing, nor can I do it alone, so many years, everyone's understanding of tennis has been continuously improved, which is the result of the efforts of generations of tennis people." ”
Take the results lightly and take the tennis ball seriously
Love is Zhang Zhizhen's original intention to choose tennis. Zhang's father was a defender for the Shanghai Shenhua football team, and when he was a child, his father gave him three choices: study hard, practice swimming or play tennis. "At that time, I must have chosen tennis which was happier." Zhang Zhizhen replied in the affirmative.
In 2011, 14-year-old Zhang Zhizhen participated in a junior tennis tournament in Haikou. His opponent, 15-year-old Norrie, defeated Zhang 6-2, 6-0. Twelve years later, Zhang Zhizhen reached the fourth round at the ATP1000 Madrid Masters, beating Norrie 2-6, 7-6(2) and 7-6(2).
Zhang Zhizhen once joked that tennis is a "road of no return", "From the age of 10 to the present, there are too many forks in the road, not just one thing to do right." If I had to go again, I wouldn't be that accurate. I had very good coaches who guided me on the right path and I was very lucky to have made all the right choices to get to where I am today, and that's the key to success. ”
"I didn't go for a specific result." "This freedom allows me to focus more on tennis and enjoy every match. This attitude is one of the secrets of his success on the field.
"Get through today, tomorrow may not be the same"
After winning the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, Zhang Zhizhen's form has seen some ups and downs. In the men's singles competition of the China Open, Zhang Zhizhen lost to Spain's Fokina and stopped in the first round. At the Shanghai Masters, Zhang Zhizhen participated in both men's singles and men's doubles, and both stopped in the first round.
"Tennis matches are packed and it's common to win or lose." Regarding the ups and downs of the state, Zhang Zhizhen chooses to face it with a normal heart, "This is a very normal thing for me. If you get through it today, tomorrow may be different, tomorrow you will finish, and the day after tomorrow you may be in poor shape, it's all possible. ”
But Zhang Zhizhen also said, "I want to win some competitions in front of the people in my hometown, but the difficulty is still very high, and every player in the Masters is very strong." For the past year, Zhang Zhizhen said, "I am still satisfied with this season, there are breakthroughs in some places, but there are also regrets, and some balls let me play again, and I feel that I can also win." ”
"Take Me as Your Way and Surpass Me"
At present, the highest-ranked player in Chinese men's tennis is Zhang Zhizhen, who is ranked 44th in the ATP men's singles world rankings, and some fans call him the "first brother" of Chinese tennis. In the face of this title, Zhang Zhizhen modestly said, "I have only been relatively stable in the past period, but it may not be the same in the future, but I like it very much and look forward to such competition." ”
"I'm not going to be number one all the time, I'm going to try to spend more time in this position, and I want to maintain my tennis career and at the same time raise the height of tennis and let the younger players chase after me and let them surpass me, which is the best thing." Zhang Zhizhen said.
Nowadays, more and more teenagers choose to play tennis, and Zhang Zhizhen also gave advice. "As a hobby, teenagers can take the plunge and try tennis. But you can't blindly go into the pros. We have to keep our minds healthy, our bodies healthy, and we have to work hard year after year. Professional tennis is a long road, and you need to have enough talent and a lot of motivation to maintain it. ”
Recently, Chinese men's players have frequently created surprises. A total of five Chinese players participated in the main draw of the Shanghai Tennis Masters, setting a new record. Wu Yixuan, who was once plagued by injuries, rebounded in form, and although he stopped in the round of 32 at the Masters, his strength impressed his opponent Alcaraz; Buyun Chaoket ushered in a small outbreak and ranked among the top four of the China Open; Shang Juncheng won his first career ATP World Tour title at the Chengdu Open.
The rise of Chinese tennis players of the same era made Zhang Zhizhen sincerely happy. "Now everyone knows how to train and compete, and everyone is getting better. Thanks to the path that generations of tennis players have walked ahead, we can slowly improve ourselves and slowly transcend history. ”
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