Mpetshi Perricard knocks out Zhang Zhizhen at ATP Dubai Championships

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France defeated Zhang Zhizhen of China 6-3, 7-6(3) in the men's singles first round at the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Dubai Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday.

Mpetschi Perricard broke Zhang in the fourth game of the first set and then breezed through a love game to jump out to a 4-1 lead. Zhang survived four deuces and saved two game points to hold serve in the sixth. The set lasted for two more games as both players held, before Mpetschi Perricard prevailed to grab a 1-0 edge in the match.

Zhang fought with better resilience in the second set and allowed no breaks in his first six service games. He had a break chance in Mpetschi Perricard's final service game, but failed to convert the opportunity. The set went into a tiebreak and the Frenchman began with a 4-0 lead before sealing the deal 7-3 to complete the straight-sets sweep.

Mpetschi Perricard will face the winner between top seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia and Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany in the second round.

Zhang, currently ranked 49th in the world, is the highest-rated Asian player in the men's singles category. But he has struggled since the 2025 season got underway, suffering first-round eliminations in five tournaments so far.