Zhuhai, November 16 (Xinhua) -- At around 9 a.m., there was a long queue in front of the ticket window of the Hengqin International Tennis Center. Mr. Zeng, who lives in Zhuhai, came to line up offline with the last glimmer of hope, because the online platform showed that the tickets for the 16th were sold out as early as the day before yesterday.

"It turns out that the online and offline tickets are sold out, and everyone is queuing up to redeem paper tickets as a souvenir." After hearing the staff's explanation, Mr. Zeng was a little helpless, "Then I have to go home to watch the live broadcast and come to see the scene tomorrow." ”

The tennis event of the 15th National Games is in full swing. According to the statistics of the organizing committee, as of 3 pm on the 16th, the average ticket sales rate of the event was 52.17%, of which the sales rate on the 15th and 16th, which coincided with the weekend, reached 100%.

On November 14, Guangdong's Wang Xinyu (front) took a group photo with the audience after the game. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yan Linyun

"A ticket for 100 yuan can last a whole day." Mr. Zeng said that he had grabbed a four-day tennis ticket for the National Games and watched the ball for two days, and he was ready to bring his 6-year-old child to the scene to "feel the atmosphere of the master showdown".

The tennis lineup of this National Games is quite luxurious. Except for Zheng Qinwen, who retired due to injury, almost all domestic masters appeared. Wang Xinyu, Yuan Yue, Zhu Lin, Wang Xiyu, Wang Yafan, Zhang Zhizhen, Wu Yixuan, Bu Yun Chaoke, Shang Juncheng...... These names have had outstanding results on the international stage, and Wang Qiang, a retired two-time National Games women's singles gold medalist, also returned to compete.

In order to watch the high-level competition live, Hong Kong nurse Chen Xiaowen and two friends took a special bus to Hengqin. "I have only watched the National Games on TV before, but this time we are holding the Games at our doorstep, of course we are coming." Chen Xiaowen said that in addition to supporting the box office, she also combined her professional expertise to sign up as a drug testing volunteer in the Hong Kong division of the National Games.

Chen Xiaowen, who flew to Australia and France to watch Grand Slam tournaments, was full of praise for the Hengqin venue: "It feels similar to the Grand Slam, they are very beautiful, and many domestic players are participating, which is really like watching a domestic 'Grand Slam'." ”

Men's singles second seed and Hong Kong's Wong Chak-lam also felt the same way. "Really happy to play here. In international competitions, I rarely play against domestic players, and everyone's level is very high, which is a good opportunity for me to play and continue to improve. ”

On November 16, Hong Kong's Huang Zelin took a group photo with the audience after the game. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yan Linyun

On the way from the center court to the outdoor court, the reporter encountered many spectators trotting to the venue. I wanted to interview several times, but I only got a hurried response: "I want to rush to see Wang Xinyu" and "Shi Han's game on Court 2 is about to start".

In the outdoor court, the light shines through the branches and leaves of the phoenix tree, and the sea breeze blows gently, with a faint salty taste and fresh coolness. Many spectators stood by the aisle and switched perspectives at any time. On the one side, the venue is the women's singles No. 8 seed Wang Yafan's fierce smash in front of the net; As soon as he turned around, on the other side of the men's singles game, Zeng Yaojie of Guangdong and Han Xirui of Guangxi team were deadlocked on the bottom line, and the sound of hitting sounded intensively like beating drums.

After the game on Venue 1, Wang Yafan, who won 2:0, did not leave the field immediately, but stayed to sign autographs, take group photos, and interact with the audience for nearly ten minutes. Tennis enthusiast Ms. Chen is one of them. At the end of 2023, she watched the Zhuhai Women's Tennis Players Association (WTA) Super Classic at the same venue.

"The tour is a confrontation between top international players, and the confrontation may be more intense. But the National Games is a competition between our own masters, everyone deserves attention, and the atmosphere of national participation is stronger. Ms. Chen said.

On Venue 2, Zeng Yaojie and Han Xirui fought for more than three hours before the former won 7:5, 5:7, 7:6 (3).

"It's a game of equal strength. The advantage of a small court is that the panting of players, the friction of the soles of their shoes, and even the subtle changes in their aura are more palpable, and the viewing experience is more intense. Zhuhai audience Tan Ying said.

After saying that, Tan Ying hurried to the next court. "I can't care about lunch, Shang Juncheng's game has begun, and it is one game to be able to catch up."