Stars line up for ‘unprecedented’ turnout at China Open

Polish women’s number 1 Iga Swiatek (left) and Italian men’s number 1 Jannik Sinner will be the stars of the China Open tennis championships, which will take place from September 23 to October 6 at the National Tennis Center in Beijing.

As Chinese players triumphantly progress to the final Grand Slam of the season in New York, their home tournament in Beijing is gearing up for an even bigger tennis celebration in a bid to boost the sport’s growing popularity.

The China Open, the largest tournament for men and women in Asia, promises to be even bigger and better this year.

On Wednesday, organizers announced the all-star teams for the WTA1000 and ATP500 events, as well as a series of experience-enhancing initiatives for the 2024 tournament, which runs from September 23 to October 6 in the Chinese capital.

A total of 16 Grand Slam winners, led by top women’s player Iga Swiatek, men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner and young Spanish phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz, and nine current and former world No. 1s will gather at the National Tennis Center in northern Beijing to compete for vital ranking points and a share of the $13.14 million prize pool.

The women’s tournament, a mandatory part of the WTA Tour, will be expanded to a two-week tournament with 96 draws, up from 64 matches last year. This will make it the fifth tournament of its size in the top division, joining Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome.

In the men’s event, the ATP500 tournament is expected to continue to offer an above-average tournament as the world’s top five players – with the exception of 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic – have all confirmed their participation.

In addition to the stellar international cast, the return of Chinese heroes, following their recent Olympic success in Paris, is also eagerly awaited. They are expected to draw huge attention and significantly increase the appeal of the tournament, according to the organizers.

“Of all the major attractions this year, the strong presence of Chinese athletes will be most noticeable at the 2024 China Open,” tournament director Zhang Junhui said on Wednesday.

“We expect unprecedented attendance at this year’s tournament and are ready to provide every participant, from players to fans and media, with better experiences than ever before.”

The China Open made its debut in the fall of 2004, benefiting from a surprise gold medal in women’s doubles won by Li Ting and Sun Tiantian at that year’s Games in Athens. The tournament is now riding a new and much stronger Olympic wave two decades later, inspired by the historic victory of world number 7 Zheng Qinwen in the singles at Paris 2024.

“It is a great happiness, not only for the promotion of our tournament but also for the fans, that we can enjoy the sport after celebrating gold and silver (in mixed doubles by Zhang Zhizhen and Wang Xinyu) at the Olympic Games, 20 years after the gold in doubles in Athens,” said Zhang.

“We already expect Chinese tennis to achieve greater success in the next 20 years.”

Zheng, who lost in the first round to Elena Rybakina in Beijing last year, said she can’t wait to make her elite qualifications a reality this year.

“I’m really looking forward to being back on the Diamond Court (center court). I hope to see you all at the China Open,” said the 21-year-old Olympic champion.

Led by Zheng and the world number 41 in the men’s rankings, Zhang Zhizhen, five Chinese players have confirmed their participation in the women’s and men’s main tournaments directly via the rankings. More wildcard entries are to be announced.

The tournament organizers will make every effort to optimize the services and execution and make the event an unforgettable experience not only for the players but also for the fans and sponsors during the two-week event, Zhang Junhui said.

[email protected]