Men's singles tennis player Zhang Zhizhen of China made a series of career highlights in the 2023 season. He set his best Grand Slam record by reaching the third round in both the French Open and the U.S. Open. He secured his first five-set win in a Grand Slam tournament by beating J.J. Wolf of the U.S. 7-5, 7-5, 6(5)-7(7), 4-6 and 6-3 in the first round in the U.S. Open. When Zhang beat Casper Ruud of Norway 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6 and 6-2 in the following second round, he became the first male player from the Chinese mainland to defeat a world top-five player.

Zhang rated his performance eight to nine points in the U.S. Open. He believed that he could have done better in the first two sets of the loss to Rinky Hijikata of Australia.

Zhang told Xinhua News Agency that his goal in the coming 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, is to win the men's singles gold medal. "My main focus will be on the singles event," he said. "I may play in the men's doubles and the mixed doubles events too, but those are not my forte. I will do my best."

Zhang is confident that he has a better chance this time in Hangzhou than he did in Jakarta in 2018 to win the men's singles gold, but he also admits that he may not be in his best form when the Asian Games begins in late September.

"The Asian Games happens every four years. I will be playing at home and have a good chance to claim a medal. Of course there will be pressure," Zhang said. "Unlike in the ATP Tours, which happen every one or two weeks, you don't get a second chance in the Asian Games until another four years. I just worry that I may not be in a great form during that week."

Zhang's parents are both athletes, but he hadn't aimed at becoming a professional tennis player. He first played the sport at age four, began to practice at six and joined the regional team for Shanghai at 10. Back then, his target was to become a tennis coach.

The turning point for Zhang's career took place in 2013 when he paired Wu Di to win the men's doubles gold medal for Shanghai in the National Games of China in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province. "Winning the title brought more attention to me," Zhang recalled. "I started to play a bigger role in Shanghai and was able to play more matches overseas. That's when I began to seriously consider becoming a professional player."

When Zhang was a kid, like many others in his age, he targeted the world's top players, top five and top 10. After entering the professional circle, he set his goal at the world's top 50. He was very close to it when he rose to No. 52 in July. Currently he is in a 61st ranking.

Zhang doesn't think he has changed much all these years. "I don't think there is anything different with my career," he told Xinhua. "Because I have always believed that I can do it. I have been on the same road all the time and have never doubted myself. Well, there used to be some doubt, but after that period of time in Madrid, it's all gone. I'm convinced I can realize may goal."