Zhang, a two-time US Open finalist, knows a thing or two about persistence. She lost the first 14 Grand Slam main draw matches she played, but eventually won the Australian Open in 2016, upsetting World No.2 Simona Halep for her first Grand Slam win, then reaching the quarterfinals.
He says failure has been a part of his journey, but more importantly, learning to accept his shortcomings and following his passion on the court has become his trademark.
“Everyone has their own dream, and dreams can be very different,” he said. “You can fight for you, fight for your dreams. I have my dreams too. I fight for you. I am working to deal with it.”
Zhang is also a two-time Grand Slam champion, proof that there is more than one path to a successful tennis career.
“That’s why you see that I won the Grand Slam title,” he said. “I was practicing alone. I didn’t do doubles or mixed doubles. But then I felt that I wanted to be a Grand Slam champion. If I had a big gap in singles, I would have made the transition to doubles and mixed doubles. That was one of my ways to win a Grand Slam tournament. That is another way for me to achieve my dream in another way.”
Chasing the Olympic dream, and representing his country, gave Zhang satisfaction during his career.
“In my career, there were many failures,” he said. “I still have this feeling of accomplishment. At the Paris Olympics, I was really proud that I could represent China three times. The number alone makes me proud.”
The former World No.22 player says that although his defeat has hurt him this season, he has found other ways to gain confidence. Last month he played with him in the US Open final Kristina Mladenovic (they lost to Ostapenko and Kichenok in the final).
“My friends and colleagues were not surprised. They congratulated me. Even though they were not in Beijing, they sent a video, they tried to call me via video. When I had a loss, they told me, Eventually your victory will come. We trust you fully. With more effort in your work, you will need more patience to succeed. ”
