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Summary China's Chang Yu is languishing at 374, Li Zhe is at 390, and Mao-Xin is 426th.
Zhang Ze said he took inspiration from Grand Slam-winner Li Na after a record-breaking run which raised hopes that Chinas struggling men could finally emerge from the shadows of their womens tennis stars.The world number 165 made history this week when he became the first Chinese man ever to beat a top 20 player, with a three-sets win over Richard Gasquet which put him into the China Open quarter-finals.His defeat of the Frenchman, ranked 14th, also meant Chinas number one got further in an ATP tournament than any other Chinese man in 17 years, after Pan Bing made the Seoul semi-finals in 1995.After his campaign was halted by Florian Mayer on Friday, the 22-year-old right-hander from Nanjing was quick to name 2011 French Open champion Li, Asias only singles Grand Slam winner, as his guiding light.Li Na is our example, as a role (model), he said, adding that his next goal was to become the first Chinese man to break into the top 100.I will not be complacent. I will take a step-by-step strategy to make an even bigger breakthrough, he said, hoping that it could happen next year.Everybody knows that Im number one of the male players in China, but actually internationally Im not, so I have to move forward to international level, he said.The six foot two inches (188 cm) player has been working for the past year with French coach Guillaume Peyre, former trainer of Gasquet and 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, and he said his input had been vital.Under Peyre, Zhang has shot up from 292 to his current ranking of 165, the best ever by a Chinese player, and his exploits in Beijing could propel him another 20 places higher.The foreign coach can provide me with something more enlightening... what he brings me is very much different, said Zhang.My coach gives me confidence. He tells me that you are not always going to belong to the players in the top 300 or top 400.He also helps me to make a strategy for each and every single match. For different opponents we have to introduce different tactics. This helps me tremendously.Chinas Wu Di, Zhangs victim in the Beijing first round, is currently ranked 176 and has also benefited from foreign expertise after starting the year at 421.While Zhang and Wu are on the up, they have a long way to go before catching the women, who have three players in the top 50 with Li eighth, Zheng Jie 22nd and Peng Shuai 49th.Meanwhile Chinas number three Chang Yu is languishing at 374, Li Zhe is at 390, and their fifth-best player, Gong Mao-Xin, is 426th.If Zhang makes the top 100 he may be allowed to follow Li by breaking away from the state training system, allowing himself greater control over his career and a bigger share of his winnings.But for now Zhang believes the national programme is the best way for Chinas men to catch up with the women.I think this is the correct way for male players, because we really get huge support from the national team, he said.If the China Tennis Association had not given me a wildcard, I wouldnt have had the good performances as I did (in theChina Open).
