China’s Zhang Zhizhen cruised past Lorenzo Musetti 6-2 6-0 in just 61 minutes on hard-court at the Qatar Exxon Mobil Open in Doha.
Zhang Zhizhen hit 19 winners and converted six of nine break points he earned.
Zhang Zhizhen broke serve to 30 in the first game of the opening set and earned a double break at deuce in the third game to take a 3-0 lead. Musetti pulled one break back on his fourth opportunity in the fourth game. Zhang Zhizhen broke for the third time at 30 in the seventh game to close out the first set 6-2.
Zhang Zhizhen broke three times to take a bagel win in the second set clinching his second top 30 win of the season.
Zhang Zhizhen became the first Chinese to win a main-draw match in Doha. He will face either Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp or Doha 2018 champion Gael Monfils.
Zhang Zhizhen has a record of 6 wins to 6 defeats so far this year and reached the quarter finals in Marseille.
“When I am on court, I am thinking I can beat top players. On court I am giving myself a bit more confidence with how I play and also as time passes I get more confidence. I am super happy that I played here today, and I believe I can make a deep run here”, said Zhang Zhizhen.
World number 65 Pavel Kotov beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-2 7-5 in 1 hour and 49 minutes to set up a second round match with Ugo Humbert. Kotov has extended his lead to 2-0 in his head-to-head matches against Sonego. Kotov hit 22 winners to 14 unforced errors.
Kotov broke twice in the first and third games to race out to a 4-0 lead in the opening set. The Russian player earned three break points in the fifth game, but Sonego saved them to hold serve. Kotov served out the first set with a hold at 30.
Sonego broke in the second game of the second set to open up a 3-0 lead. Sonego earned six break points in the fourth game, but he was not able to save any of them. Kotov broke serve in the seventh and eleventh games to win the second set 7-5.
Marton Fucsovics cruised past Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1 6-3 in 83 minutes. The Hungarian player will take on fourth seed Alexander Bublik. Fucsovics broke twice in the second and fourth games to race out to a 4-0 lead.Bautista Agut pulled one break back in the fifth game. Fucsovics broke for the third time in the sixth game and served out the first set at 15 in the seventh game.
Fucsovics broke twice in the third and ninth games to win the second set 6-3.
Alexei Popyrin came back from one set down to beat Abdullah Shelbayh 3-6 6-3 6-4. The Australian player will face either Tallon Griekspoor or French qualifier Hugo Grenier. Shelbayh broke in the sixth game to win the first set 6-3. Popyrin earned his first break in the sixth game to claim the second set 6-3. Shelbayh broke in the sixth game of the third set to take a 4-2 lead, but Popyrin won four consecutive games to clinch the third set 6-4.
