Zhuhai Championships set to serve up in China

Featuring a strong field including former world No 1 Andy Murray and local prodigy Shang Juncheng, the Zhuhai Championships are primed to serve up a tennis feast above its ranks to celebrate the return of ATP action to China.

As an ATP250 tour-level tournament launched in China in 2019, the Zhuhai Championships are making a stellar return to the southern China metropolis for the first time since a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The tournament's singles roster is headlined by nine top-50 players, including Britain's three-time major winner Murray, top-seed Karen Khachanov of Russia and Asia's top man Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan, who will swing off the main draw action on Wednesday at the Hengqin International Tennis Center.

Four Chinese men will bid for breakthroughs at an ATP event in front of home fans for the first time in four years, and, as the highest-ranked among them, teen sensation Shang is ready to fight for a deep run in Zhuhai.

"I have already been here a few days and this is my home court, so I am a bit confident. I am looking forward to this match and I hope to play well here in Zhuhai," said Shang, who will play against No 6 MackeNzie McDonald of United States in the opening round on Thursday.

Shang, who is currently ranked 158th in the world, has enjoyed a breakout season this year, underlined by reaching the second round at the Australia Open as a 17-year-old qualifier and reaching a career high ranking at No 149 in July. Now with the home tournament opening up more opportunities, Shang is expected to continue his climb through high-profile drills offered in Zhuhai.

Fresh from playing a starring role for Great Britain in the Davis Cup last week, the hugely popular Murray will play against Chinese youngster Mo Yecong in a mouth-watering first-round match for the Zhuhai crowd on Thursday.

Khachanov, a semi-finalist at the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year, opens the tournament with a first-round bye before a possible second-round encounter against Argentina's former world No 8 Diego Schwartzman.

Nishioka, who reached the last 16 at the Australian and French Opens this year, has seen some of his career highlights achieved on the ATP Tour's Asia swing.

The world No 46, who won his first ATP Tour title in Shenzhen in 2018 after his first Challenger title run in Shanghai in 2014, is looking forward to rekindling his winning momentum in China at the Zhuhai tournament.

"I won my first ATP Tour event in China and I have played well here. It is always enjoyable to play in China and to compete in Asia again," said the 27-year-old Nishioka, who plays in-form Frenchman Terence Atmane in the opening round.

Zhuhai Championships tournament director Leon Sun said fans attending the event were in for a treat given the quality of the draw and the calibre of opening round matches.

"I am thrilled with the depth of the player field at this year's Zhuhai Championships", he said.

"It is clear that the players have welcomed the opportunity to play in China again."

As an innovative scheduling made to accommodate to the upgraded and extended ATP1000 Masters tournament in Shanghai, the Zhuhai Championships' main draw covers two half-weeks running from Wednesday to Sept 26, which will allow spectators to watch more tennis on the weekend with second-round and quarterfinal matches scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.