International tennis makes its post-pandemic return to China in the form of the ATP 250 Zhuhai Championships, scheduled for 20-26 September at the state-of-the-art Hengqin International Tennis Centre.
The ATP has announced that former world number one, 27-year-old Daniil Medvedev, will make his debut in Zhuhai and that officials “have engaged in fruitful discussions with grand slam champions and other top-ranked players” about signing up for the tournament.
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, is in excellent form, winning four titles so far this season, including the Miami Open earlier this month.
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“I’m really looking forward to coming back to China and playing at the Hengqin International Tennis Centre,” Medvedev said, according to an ATP handout. “I can’t wait to see the city and the stadium, both of which I have heard a lot of good things about. It will be great to play again in front of the Chinese fans again after three years away”.
Scheduling of matches at Zhuhai will be more fan-friendly, the ATP says, with many singles matches slated for the weekend instead of weekdays. Semi-finals and the championship match will take place on a Monday and Tuesday night, giving spectators the chance to attend after finishing work.
The inaugural ATP 250 Zhuhai Championships, a men’s tournament, were held in 2019 and were won by Australian Alex de Minaur.
