On the afternoon of March 12, with the birth of men's and women's singles champions, the 2017 Zhuhai Tennis Open came to a successful end at the Hengqin International Tennis Center. Hosted by the Chinese Tennis Association, undertaken by Zhuhai Huafa Group, and operated and executed by Zhuhai Huafa Sports Operation and Management Co., Ltd., the new event lasted for 9 days and presented more than 140 exciting matchups for fans in Zhuhai and surrounding cities.

Looking back on the past, since the beginning of the 2015 Zhuhai WTA Super Classic, Zhuhai and tennis have formed an inseparable fate. In just over two years, Zhuhai Hengqin International Tennis Center has successively hosted a number of international tennis tournaments such as the WTA Super Classic, the ATP International Men's Tennis Challenge, and the ITF International Women's Tennis Tour.

The tennis open named after the city for Zhuhai was an idea proposed by Huafa Group as early as a year ago. After many consultations and hard preparations between Huafa Group and the China Tennis Association, the International Men's Tennis Federation (ATP) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the Zhuhai Open Tennis Tournament was officially announced to the outside world in March this year.

Although the first Zhuhai Open Tennis Tournament has just come out, it is still facing a lot of challenges - nearly 150 professional players from all over the world, nearly 150 men's and women's singles and doubles matches, whether it is player service, event operation or logistics support, all of which are extremely testing the organizing committee's ability to run the tournament. The good news is that this young event is not jerky and has proven itself in many ways. ATP referee Rogerio Santos commented: "With such a perfect venue and a good team, I think the tournament was arranged very smoothly, and it can be said that there are no obstacles or difficulties. ”

Although the prize money is not comparable to the top tournaments, the 2017 Zhuhai Open still attracts tennis players from many countries and regions: Russia's Donskoy who defeated world champion Federer at the Dubai Open, defending champion Fabiano of the 2016 Zhuhai ATP International Men's Tennis Challenge, Chinese men's tennis twin stars Zhang Ze and Wu Di, Chinese Jinhua Zheng Saisai, Zhu Lin and Zhang Kailin all appeared.

Donskoy Evgeny Donskoy

Thomas Fabbiano

Gong Maoxin/Zhang Ze

Wu Di

Zheng Saisai

Zheng Saisai, who won the women's singles runner-up in this competition, said at the press conference: "I have never played such a strong 60K, and the organization of this tournament is very similar to the WTA Tour." Creating a "high-standard, high-quality" tennis tournament is the principle that the Zhuhai Open Tennis Organizing Committee has adhered to since the day of preparation. It is precisely because of the excellent venue conditions and rich competition experience that he is full of confidence in the future promotion of the event.

As Lv Pinde, executive director and general manager of Zhuhai Huafa Sports Operation Management Co., Ltd., said, one of the original intentions of the Zhuhai Open Tennis Tournament is to "provide more opportunities for Chinese players to get enough points and participate in world-class competition without leaving their home countries". Such a layout can undoubtedly add impetus to China's tennis career, but beyond that, the significance of tennis events can be far more than the competition itself.

After more than two years of exploration, Zhuhai tennis has had a significant spillover effect.

The event provided an immersive experience for many professional players, tennis enthusiasts and related practitioners, and its global spread has made Zhuhai, a small coastal city, more and more people know about it. Within the city limits, tennis has also been promoted by the tournament organizing committee. After more than two years of hard work, Zhuhai's tennis population has shown an upward trend, and the nourishment of tennis culture to Zhuhai's urban cultural atmosphere has gradually emerged. On the other hand, tennis also provides another way for the people of Zhuhai to live a healthy and active life, which is perfectly in line with the temperament of Zhuhai as a livable and happy city.

At this year's two sessions, the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" has been elevated to a national strategic level, and jointly building a high-quality living circle in the Greater Bay Area and promoting the cultural prosperity and development of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have become one of the key points of the development concept of the Greater Bay Area. The birth of the Zhuhai Open Tennis Tournament has made Zhuhai another South China city with tennis tournaments after Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. In recent years, relying on tennis tournaments, Zhuhai has provided a high-quality communication platform for tennis enthusiasts in the Pearl River Delta, and many interactive opportunities have also made a certain contribution to enhancing the feelings of the people of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Steve Simon, President and CEO of the International Women's Tennis Federation, came to Zhuhai during the WTA Super Classic in Zhuhai last year and said in an interview with reporters: "Zhuhai is a very dynamic city, and the tennis tournament here is growing very fast and has a bright future. "Now, the tennis open brand nurtured in Zhuhai has sown its first seeds in the spring, and time will tell its future.

(Text/Chen Jingdi, Editor/Kaylie)