Rotterdam, Netherlands — In a challenging first-round match at the ABN AMRO Open on Tuesday, Zhang Zhizhen of the Chinese mainland was bested by Russia’s fourth seed, Andrey Rublev, with a score of 6-3, 6-4.
Zhang entered the court aiming to overturn his previous three defeats against Rublev. However, the Russian broke Zhang’s serve in the fourth game of the first set, setting the tone early. Facing a 2-5 deficit, Zhang fought valiantly, saving six set points in a critical service game. Despite his efforts, Rublev secured the set by clinching the ninth game.
The momentum stayed with Rublev as he broke Zhang’s serve at the start of the second set, establishing a 2-0 lead. Maintaining consistent serves and leaving little room for a comeback, Rublev held his ground. Although Zhang saved four match points in the tenth game, he ultimately could not turn the tide.
In other matches, top seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain overcame home favorite Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-1. Seeking redemption after a previous loss to the Dutch player at last year’s U.S. Open, Alcaraz displayed resilience despite not being in peak form, evidenced by his 40 unforced errors in the first two sets.
Van de Zandschulp capitalized on Alcaraz’s lapses, showcasing solid baseline play and smart approaches to the net to level the match. However, his struggle with double faults, including one that cost him a set point in the opener, proved detrimental. In the decisive third set, Alcaraz found his rhythm, delivering spectacular shots to seal the victory.
“I think there were a lot of ups and downs in the match,” Alcaraz remarked post-match. “Being set point down in the first set, I think Botic played a really solid match. Not too many ups and downs for him, really consistent throughout the match. I’m just really happy to get through. I had to be really focused in the tough moments, to keep pushing and trust the good tennis will come again. I’m happy to get through a difficult match and have a chance to get better in the next round.”
