Will the recent mountain air energy Zhang Zhizhen to a powerful debut this week on the Generali Open?

The World No. 53 will step on courtroom towards Dusan Lajovic on Tuesday as the primary Chinese language participant to compete within the 79-year historical past of the Kitzbühel occasion. The ATP 250 takes place towards the beautiful backdrop of the Austrian Alps, and Zhang took a break in his preparations to go to the well-known close by Hahnenkamm mountain.

“It’s my first time right here in Kitzbühel. They’ve excellent views,” stated Zhang. “For winter they’ve ski racing right here. It’s spectacular to see the ski leaping from right here, which for me could be unimaginable.”

^{_{Photograph Credit score: Generali Open | Alexander Scheuber}}

A spotlight of the Hahnenkamm is the well-known Streif downhill course, one of the demanding on the skilled snowboarding circuit. Zhang expressed a need to return to Kitzbühel in winter to see the world below snow.

“In China we don’t actually have too many locations for snowboarding. We’ve got some, however I dwell in Shanghai and it’s not actually snowing. I want to see huge snow [one day].”

Zhang arrived for his historic look in Kitzbühel recent from reaching his maiden ATP Tour semi-final on the Hamburg European Open. Now getting ready to turning into the primary Chinese language man to interrupt the Prime 50 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, he’s happy to be main a squad of rising skills from his nation that additionally consists of Wu Yibing and Shang Juncheng.

“We’re are enjoying extra at ATP Tour degree and enhancing our rating,” stated the 26-year-old. “So we attempt to play greater tournaments. I didn’t know I used to be the primary one to come back right here [to Kitzbühel], however I’m blissful to be the primary.”