Why is the overall state of the Chinese legion in a slump?, Wimbledon frequently encounters a round of games, and Zhang Zhizhen also loses to Wimbledon | China | Overall
Nine Chinese players entered the Wimbledon singles tournament, setting a new historical record, but the group advantage did not translate into victory. On July 6th local time, as Zhang Zhizhen lost 2-3 to Dutch player Van der Zander Schulp in the first round of the main match, the Chinese army only had "lone seed" Bai Zhuoxuan to continue to pass the level. Why is the overall state of the Chinese legion sluggish? Jiefang Daily's Shangguan News reporter interviewed former coach Wang Liangzuo and senior tennis commentator Wang Wei of the Chinese national women's tennis team.
Zheng Qinwen, a young player born in the 2000s who has high expectations from the outside world, was eliminated by Sniakova in the first round of the competition. Zhu Lin, who made it to the women's singles round of 16 at the Australian Open, was also defeated by world number one Svatek. In addition, veteran players Zhang Shuai, Wang Xiyu, and Yuan Yue also failed to pass the first round. In terms of men's singles, Wu Yibing, who made history for Chinese men's tennis this season, lost 0-3 to Tiafu and missed his first win at Wimbledon.
Wang Liangzuo believes that Chinese players have an advantage in their basic skills, and having so many players participate in the Wimbledon tournament represents the overall progress of Chinese tennis. "However, from growth to maturity, there is a one word gap, and the content covered in the process is extremely rich. I have watched several replays, and our players still have a lot of room for improvement in combining their skills into effective tactics."
Zhang Zhizhen, who had high expectations before the competition, unfortunately lost. Having achieved a dreamy start, he faced stubborn resistance from his opponents in the game, and the turning point of the game occurred in the seventh inning of the third set. His challenge in the Van der Zander Schulp inventory unexpectedly failed, which was considered by many to be a fatal low-level mistake. If Zhang Zhizhen can win the third set, the future trend of the game may be completely different. However, there is no if.
The competition intensity of Grand Slam events is high, and each round cannot be underestimated. In Wang Liangzuo's view, "Chinese players have strong offensive firepower, but often after a few rounds, they will suddenly change their tactics because they cannot win points, instead of chasing after the victory. They do not realize that their previous tactics have formed a confrontation, or even an advantage, and instead begin to doubt themselves. Some changes in their views and ideas directly determine the final shot."
To win a tennis match, not only offense is needed, but also stability. And this stability includes both technical and psychological levels. Wang Liangzuo believes that the improvement of tennis players' abilities cannot be achieved without systematic training and competition. In the past, traditional training methods in China focused on basic skills training and neglected practical training. Young athletes nowadays have more opportunities to compete abroad, so their technical abilities improve faster. "Nowadays, Chinese players have a certain route and strength when playing the ball, but what they lack is the landing point. At the same time, they also need to be thoughtful and establish a reasonable and effective tactical system based on their own characteristics. At this time, it is important to find the right coach. The coach is the one who solves difficulties and knows where they are weak, so please hire a targeted coach."
Coach is undoubtedly an important part for players. After this season's French Open, "China's top sister" Zheng Qinwen changed her coach and ended a two-year partnership with Spanish coach Riba, joining hands with Belgian coach Vim Fieset. The latter has coached Grand Slam players such as Naomi Osaka and Azarenka, and has rich coaching experience, adept at understanding and regulating player emotions. However, the new coach needs to adapt, and Zheng Qinwen is not even accustomed to the new coach's cheering style. After working together, she has not yet won the game.
The successive defeats of Wu Yibing and Zhang Zhizhen also declare that the Chinese men's team is still struggling to win in the Wimbledon main tournament. Is it because they are not adapted to grass competitions?
In the ATP Eastbourne Open before Wimbledon, Zhang Zhizhen won two consecutive games to reach the quarterfinals, unlocking his career record in hard court, clay, and grass competitions. Wu Yibing participated in two grass tour tournaments and achieved a record of one win and two losses. In Stuttgart, he defeated last year's Wimbledon men's singles runner up Kierkegaard 7-5 and 6-3 in the first round. From this perspective, the reasons for not adapting to grass competitions are not sufficient.
Senior tennis commentator Wang Wei believes that the reasons for a player's defeat still need to be analyzed in detail. From the perspective of paper strength, Zhang Zhizhen has a chance to win against his opponents. Before the Wimbledon match, Chinese Taipei player Lu Yanxun, who had historically made it to the quarterfinals of men's singles at Wimbledon, became a member of Zhang Zhizhen's coaching team and was fully prepared for this match. Playing to the decisive set does not only rely on strength to control the game, but Zhang Zhizhen still needs to strengthen his consistency and stability in maintaining his state of mind towards the end of the game.
Wu Yibing's performance was poor due to physical reasons, and he had to withdraw from the men's doubles match against Zhang Zhizhen, which is regrettable. As the favorites to win the men's doubles tennis championship at the Hangzhou Asian Games, the two also missed an excellent opportunity to adapt to the competition.
Wang Wei holds an optimistic attitude towards the development of Chinese men's websites. "The takeoff of the Chinese men's tennis court has become a major trend, while the obstruction of Wimbledon is only a temporary level flight state. In the second half of the year, with the development of hard court competitions, including the Chinese season, Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing are expected to usher in a new peak in their professional careers."
