Marin Cilic Upset by Zhang Zhizhen in Seoul Open First Round
- It is regrettable that we cannot see Čilić play for much longer on the Olympic court where his mentor Goran Ivanisevic competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, but...
- Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion and former world number three, exited the 2026 Eugene Investment & Securities Seoul Open ATP Challenger 125 in the opening round...
- The tournament upgraded to the Challenger 125 tier this year, with a total prize pool of $225,000, roughly 330 million won.
It is regrettable that we cannot see Čilić play for much longer on the Olympic court where his mentor Goran Ivanisevic competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, but Zhang Zhijian’s performance against Čilić was outstanding.
an unnamed tennis fan said, as incheonilbo.com reported.
Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion and former world number three, exited the 2026 Eugene Investment & Securities Seoul Open ATP Challenger 125 in the opening round on October 26. Seeded first in the tournament, the 96th-ranked Croatian fell to China’s Zhang Zhizhen, ranked 166th, with a set score of 1 to 2 (6-7, 6-2, 3-6) on the center court of the Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center.
Marin Cilic Exits Seoul Open in First Round
The tournament upgraded to the Challenger 125 tier this year, with a total prize pool of $225,000, roughly 330 million won. Cilic drew substantial attention from local fans as the top attraction, drawing a large crowd to a fan signing event on the day before the tournament opened. The first-round clash showcased heavy serving from both players, who stand over 190 centimeters tall.
World No. 777 ➡️ Hangzhou Champion 🏆Wildcard Marin Cilic defeats Zhang Zhizhen to win his first title since 2021.#HangzhouOpen pic.twitter.com/gLTtui1lsR
Cilic fired 13 service aces and captured the second set 6-2 to demonstrate his veteran skill. However, Zhang countered with 21 service aces to overcome the top seed in the final frame, according to incheonilbo.com. Following the match, spectators gathered around Zhang to request photographs and autographs, with the Chinese player responding to each request.
Zhang Zhizhen Advances to Face Rei Sakamoto
Zhang advances to the round of 16 to play Japan’s Rei Sakamoto. Sakamoto secured his spot by defeating Thailand’s Kasidit Samrej 2 sets to 0 with scores of 6-3 and 6-4 in another opening-round fixture.
Meanwhile, local wild card entries encountered difficulties in the opening round. Seventeen-year-old prospect Cho Min-hyuk lost in straight sets 0 to 2 (1-6, 0-6) against China’s Bu Yunchaokete, the 92nd-ranked player who won the tournament in 2023. Fellow wild card recipient Kim Jang-jun also exited after dropping a tiebreak decision to Great Britain’s Billy Harris, losing 0 sets to 2 with scores of 6-7 and 2-6.