18th January 2025 – (Beijing) China’s Zhang Zhizhen and the Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac overturned a set deficit to secure their place in the third round of the Australian Open men’s doubles. The duo triumphed over Germany’s Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in a tightly contested match that lasted just over two hours on Saturday night.
The match was characterised by its competitiveness, with only three breaks of serve across the entire encounter—one in each set. Zhang and Machac narrowly outperformed their opponents, winning just three more points overall. This close contest was primarily determined by their efficiency in shorter rallies, with 83 of the 103 points they secured coming within four shots. Notably, they dominated the deciding set, capturing 35 of the 42 points played.
As Machac served for the match at 5-4, the German pair had two opportunities to break back, but Zhang’s volley winners thwarted their efforts. A crucial moment came at deuce when Zhang skillfully let a ball go that barely landed out, leading to a third match point, which Machac converted with a powerful ace.
Earlier in the match, the Chinese player showcased his prowess by saving two break points during his service game in the second set, culminating in a set point that he clinched with a precise forehand winner down the line.
Zhang and Machac will now prepare to face 15th seeds Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the next round, eager to continue their promising campaign.
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