Zhang Zhizhen earned the biggest win of his career Wednesday when he outlasted World No. 5 Casper Ruud in five sets at the US Open.

The Chinese star survived a thrilling back-and-forth encounter, upsetting last year’s finalist Ruud 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2 after three hours, 18 minutes. Zhang delivered an inspired performance, striking 59 winners to become the first Chinese man to earn a Top 5 win since the beginning of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings (1973). 

The World No. 67, who also needed five sets to get past J.J. Wolf in the opening round, will next face Australian Rinky Hijikata in the third round.

🚨 HISTORY MADE 🚨

Zhizhen Zhang is the first Chinese man to earn a win over a Top 5 opponent. He defeats Ruud 6-4 5-7 6-2 0-6 6-2.@usopen | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/E28n6P9Ow8

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 31, 2023

Zhang advances to the third round of a major for the second time in his career, with the other appearance coming this year at Roland Garros, where he lost to Ruud in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head Meeting.

The 26-year-old’s revenge match on the fifth seed is a welcome sight to Zhang after last year’s heartbreak at Flushing Meadows. He let slip seven match points in the first round before falling to Dutchman Tim van Rijthoven in five.

“Last year at the US Open, I can say it was a bad memory. But this year is a little bit different,” said Zhang.

Should Zhang reach the fourth round, he will have a chance to become the first Chinese male to crack the Top 50 of the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Tommy Paul accomplished something he had never done before on Wednesday at Flushing Meadows.

The 14th seed rallied from two sets down for the first time, surging past Roman Safiullin 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 in three hours and 12 minutes to reach the third round of the US Open for the second consecutive year.

“It was so much fun. I didn’t really give them too much to cheer for the first two sets. I know I could feel it. Everyone was getting a little frustrated. I was getting frustrated. I wanted to give people something to cheer about,” Paul said. “After the second, I knew… it wasn’t a highlight reel kind of day. I was like, ‘I’ll give them something to cheer about with just extending points and heart for the rest of the match.’

“I think that’s really what got me through, along with everyone there was really cheering for me.”

Entering the season’s final major in 2022, Paul was 0-4 at the tournament. But he has now won four matches in New York over the past two editions. Against Safiullin he won just one more point (130-129), but his 43 winners were enough to move on.

Four of the American’s five US Open matches since the start of last year’s tournament have gone to five sets. He has already played a five-setter this year against his next opponent, 21st seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The Spaniard maintained his good form with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 triumph against Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Davidovich Fokina recently made an ATP Masters 1000 semi-final in Toronto.

Paul leads the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series 2-0, with both of those wins coming on hard courts this year, in Melbourne and Miami.

“We had two battles, one in Australia and one in Miami,” Davidovich Fokina said. “He’s like a runner. He likes a marathon. He’s a very good guy outside the court. I’m joking with him inside. On court he’s like a beast because he’s very good.”

Did You Know?
Paul is in 12th place in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. The American is trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time.

Novak Djokovic continued his perfect record at this year’s US Open on Wednesday when he defeated Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 to reach the third round.

The Serbian won his opening match in straight sets to guarantee his return to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday 11 September and was impressive again against Zapata Miralles, saving all six break points he faced to advance after two hours and two minutes. The 36-year-old has dropped just 11 games in his first two matches.

“He started off solid,” Djokovic said. “We had some rallies. We kind of had to reach out for the towel basically after each one of those longer rallies, so it took a bit more time and effort. But, you know, one break was enough. Then after that, the second set I played really good. Beginning of the third, couple of close games, but last four games of the third I ended up really playing really well. I’m pleased with the way I’m feeling, playing on the court.”

Djokovic, who last appeared in New York in 2021 when he reached the final, will next meet Laslo Djere after the Serbian overcame Hugo Gaston 6-1, 6-2, 6-3.

“He’s in very good form,” Djokovic said ahead of his meeting against countryman Djere. “It’s great for Serbian tennis that we have, you know, a matchup in the third round. So one Serbian is going to be definitely in the fourth round, which is always great for our tennis.”

The second seed, 36, is chasing a record-extending 10th US Open final appearance (3-6 record). Having won the Australian Open and Roland Garros crowns this year and reached the Wimbledon final, the 23-time major champion is looking to reach the title match of all four Slams in the same season for the third time in his career (2021 and 2015).

“At 36 years of age, after 20 years of coming to New York, I still have the hunger to play my best tennis on this court,” Djokovic said. “I have the experience and understanding of what needs to be done in the important moments. Preserving the energy and focusing on the present moment.”

Djokovic now holds a 40-5 record on the season, having captured a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati earlier this month.

Taylor Fritz was one of the stars of Netflix’s hit tennis docuseries Break Point. The show followed him throughout the 2022 season as he hit highs and lows, from winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells to losing in the first round of the US Open.

With the American every step of the way was his girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, who has been committed to Fritz’s mission of helping expand tennis to the masses.

“The last couple years we’ve just developed such a good partnership,” Riddle said during a recent Break Point reunion, in conversation with Frances Tiafoe’s girlfriend Ayan Broomfield. “[With] what we’re both doing with my social stuff and his tennis, we’re just having this collective goal of him having the best career possible, and bringing tennis to a younger audience.”

Watch Full Reunion:

Riddle is very familiar with the world of content being a social media influencer. She was impressed with how Netflix producers handled the filming process.

“I would say how fly on the wall it was. I think with reality TV, which I guess this technically would be, there’s always been talk about how they will kind of push you to say certain things or encourage certain things to happen,” Riddle said. “But that was not the case at all. It was very natural. They kind of were just there with cameras following what our life is actually like.”

Fritz has been clear about how much Riddle has helped him on and off the court.

“He’s so supportive of me, I’m so supportive of him,” Riddle said. “It’s really nice, I think, in terms of me, like specifically helping his tennis. I’m very organised and Type A and making sure he’s on time for everything. That’s not exactly his personality, but I think I help in that aspect a lot. And also just being an emotional support board for him.”

What is an example of something Riddle pushes back on with Fritz during the course of their lives on the ATP Tour?

“I’m sure you guys probably guess what I’m going to say. It’s making sure that video games are not happening during the tournament,” Riddle said. “Like, the computer is shut at 8 p.m. type thing. Foe is much more social than Taylor is. Taylor just wants to play League of Legends. So we’ve got to try to limit that as much as possible.”

Carlos Alcaraz’s backhand is one the fiercest weapons on the ATP Tour. The Spaniard’s devastating proficiency with two hands off that wing probably explains why his dalliance with a one-handed version of the shot did not last long.

“When I was young, I loved to try new things,” said Alcaraz on Tuesday as he clarified a journalist’s suggestion that coaches had considered developing his one-hander as a kid. “Probably the one-handed backhand was one of those things that I practised for just one day. I love to do different shots, different things on court. Probably that day I watched a Roger Federer match, and I tried to imitate him.

“I think my backhand, it was improving during these years. When I was young, my forehand was my best shot. It’s still my best shot, but I feel really comfortable with my backhand.”

Alcaraz’s backhand was among several facets of his game that appeared in fine fettle Tuesday on Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the top seed led 6-2, 3-2 in his US Open first-round clash against Dominik Koepfer before the German retired with an ankle injury. Alcaraz hopes to maintain that level in his second-round meeting with Lloyd Harris as he continues his defence of his US Open crown.

“I felt great during the match. I started pretty well,” said Alcaraz. “Really focussed. Honestly, I didn’t expect to play such a great level the beginning, the first round, here in the US Open.

“I am very, very happy with the level, even if Domi had to retire. I have to [look at] myself and hopefully keep that level into the next round.”

Alcaraz has often spoken about his desire to engage with fans as he goes about his on-court business. After Tuesday’s match was curtailed due to Koepfer’s injury, the 20-year-old even offered up an alternative source of entertainment during his on-court interview with a brief rendition of Colombian singer Sebastian Yatra’s song VAGABUNDO.

“We try to bring good vibes to the crowd, to the people. I try to be myself all the time,” said Alcaraz later when asked about his relationship with spectators during his matches. “I think the people love that part of me. I am always happy, smiling.

“I love that people call me Carlitos, my nickname. That’s it. It’s great to know that people love that, as well.”

Carlos Alcaraz can carry a tune 🎵

He gives his best @SebastianYatra impression! pic.twitter.com/qMbAZ3nG0g

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2023

Having lifted his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open a year ago, Alcaraz is defending a major crown for the first time this fortnight at Flushing Meadows. As he has done so often during his meteoric rise to becoming the youngest No. 1 in Pepperstone ATP Rankings history, the Spaniard is taking it all in his stride.

“I was excited to play my first round here in the US Open,” said Alcaraz. “It was great to step on court again in Arthur Ashe after such a great run last year. I was excited to come back.

“I’m not thinking about defending the title. I was not thinking about that I was the champion last year. I just focus on playing my best level, to recover the level that I played last year, and try to do the same things that I did last year. That’s the only thing that I’m thinking right now.

“I try to be apart from all the pressure people put on me about being the defending champion.”