United Cup
Zhang survives Bergs in three-set United Cup thriller: ‘I didn’t give up’
China and Belgium going to deciding doubles
January 03, 2026
Jason McCawley/Getty Images
Zhang Zhizhen defeats Zizou Bergs in three sets on Saturday in Sydney.
By ATP/WTA Staff
Triple Z found a way past Double Z Saturday at the United Cup in Sydney.
Zhang Zhizhen battled to a 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-5 victory against Zizou Bergs in two hours and 53 minutes to level China’s opening tie against Belgium at 1-1.
“I think he was serving really well and then I didn’t have a chance,” Zhang said in his on-court interview. “Second serves he was making 180 kilometres [an hour], which I couldn’t react to that fast. But I’m super happy that I was surviving [for the] team until the end. I didn’t give up and kept the same patience. We were both playing a really good match today.”
There was not a service break in the match until 5-5 in the deciding set, when Bergs missed an inside-out forehand to allow Zhang to serve out the match.
The Chinese star, who missed six months last season due to a shoulder injury, hit 12 aces and did not face a break point to survive Bergs’ 18-ace barrage. Zhang, the former No. 31 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, earned 10 break points in the match and finally converted nearly three hours into the showdown to keep his country’s hopes in the tie alive.
The mixed doubles will decide which country triumphs in Sydney’s opening tie.
Elise Mertens got Belgium off to a strong start on the first day of play in Sydney by beating China’s Zhu Lin 6-2, 6-2 in Group B action.
The top-ranked player from her country on the WTA Tour, Mertens kicked off her 12th WTA tour-level season in style with a one-hour, 18-minute victory — her fourth in five career meetings with former World No. 31 Zhu.
The 31-year-old from China had a resurgent second half of 2025 after seeing her position in the PIF WTA Rankings plummet due to an elbow injury. Ranked No. 493 in August, she reached the fourth round of the WTA 1000 event in Montreal, and begins 2026 ranked No. 168. But, on the whole, Mertens proved too much for the Chinese No. 6 to handle.
She broke serve six times in victory, won five of the first six games, and four straight from 1-1 in the second set, even though she landed less than than 50 per cent of first serves in set two.
