ZHANG ZE became the first man from the Chinese mainland to win a Grand Slam match yesterday when he partnered with Chinese Taipei’s Chang Kai-chen for a first-round mixed doubles victory at the Australian Open.

    He hasn’t quite matched Li Na’s achievements yet, but for the Chinese men, it’s a start.

    “I really wanted to get the win in singles, but mixed doubles also is good,” said Zhang, who lost his first-round singles match to Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt.

    Zhang’s celebrity is already on the rise. He was met by an overflow crowd of Chinese journalists at his post-match news conference and received a round of applause.

    Does he think his match got as much attention back home as Li’s historic win?

    “Of course,” he joked. “Because I’m famous.”(SD-Agencies)