Wimbledon 2021: Zhu Lin through to face Elise Mertens, Zhang Zhizhen rained off
- Play suspended in Chinese men’s No 1 slam debut with him 2-1 up against France’s Antoine Hoang
- Zhu beats Germany’s Mona Barthel after dropping first set for second round meeting with Belgian 13th seed
There were contrasting fortunes for Chinese players at Wimbledon as play resumed on the second day following a rain-affected opening to the opening matches on Monday.
China’s Zhu Lin was among those to start Tuesday morning’s first matches though the 27-year-old soon found herself a set down to Germany’s Mona Barthel.
World No 99 Zhu was beaten in that first set tiebreak but soon found her form and impressed as she took the next two sets 6-3 to march on to the second round.
There she will face Belgium’s Elise Mertens, the No 13 seed in the women’s singles in a repeat of their Australian Open second round match earlier this year.
China’s top man Zhang was also rained off on Monday, delaying his first grand slam appearance to Tuesday.
The British weather was not done with the Shanghainese 24-year-old though, as his first round match with France’s Antoine Hoang was suspended because of rain midway through the fourth set.
Zhang was two sets to one up on his fellow qualifier but the 25-year-old was 3-0 up in the fourth.
