"I sent first message";"I didn't take clay shoes": How Zhizhen Zhang & Wang Xinyu became the most unexpected mixed doubles pairing at Paris Olympics

Chinese tennis players Zhizhen Zhang and Wang Xinyu became the most unexpected mixed doubles pairing at the Paris Olympics 2024 after the former frantically tried to have a partner at the last moment after the country's top ladies' singles player Zheng Qinwen pulled out of mixed doubles.

The Chinese duo teamed up after some funny exchanges in which Zhang said he sent the first message to Wang after she pointed out that she was not the first choice and complained that she didn't even have clay shoes at that moment.

Zhang's choice of Wang just in the nick of time after a one-hour search was narrated on Weibo, the popular microblogging site. A tennis fan shared this on X (formerly Twitter).

Before Zhang learned that Zheng could not play alongside him in mixed doubles, he was first informed that his original opponent might not be able to play because the male player withdrew from the competition. Then he was informed that his opponent was replaced by a pair of Brazilians.

After this message, Zhizhen Zhang, who was originally planning to look at a flight back to Shanghai, suddenly remembered that there was a rule in the Olympics that partners could be changed temporarily. However, he was worried about the rule on the ranking of partners. But to his relief, he found that the ranking was all right for him to pair up with Wang.

"As soon as I heard this, it would be easy to handle. We are all satisfied with any woman, start shaking people quickly!" Zhang said.

Wang couldn't help laughing when she heard this and asked jokingly whether he shook a circle before finally reaching out to her.

"No, no, no, no, I sent you the first message, you Grand Slam champion, you must be my first choice!" Zhang clarified.

Wang was also in Roland Garros when she received Zhizhen Zhang's message.

"I was doing physiotherapy in the physiotherapy room, and I received his message. I just took a beat, that is, I didn't take my clay shoes with me, so I had to wear a hard shoe, and so on," Wang said.

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Zhizhen Zhang and Wang Xinyu assured of podium finish in mixed doubles after reaching mixed doubles final at Paris Olympics 2024

Zhizhen Zhang (Source: Getty)

The Chinese mixed doubles pair of Zhang Zhizhen and Wang Xinyu, which came together just before the first round at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is assured of a podium finish after reaching the finals of the event.

The duo came from a set down to win in three sets against the Brazilian pair of Luisa Stefani and Thiago Seyboth Wild in the first round. They then beat the Australian pair of Ellen Perez and Matt Ebden in the quarterfinals. The Olympics has just four rounds of matches (first round, quarterfinals, semifinals and final) for the mixed doubles event.

Zhang and Wang overcame Demi Schuurs and Wesley Koolhoff of the Netherlands in the semifinals. Now, the pair will vie for the gold medal on Friday, August 2.

Interestingly, Zheng Qinwen will also be competing for a gold medal after reaching the final in the singles event, defeating World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.