Players embrace fan-tastic China Swing

It's developing into a tournament tradition in Beijing, and it's one that everyone seems to love.

Fans giving their beloved international stars Chinese nicknames — sometimes creative, while most times hilarious — and teaching the players how to pronounce them in Mandarin has caught on at the China Open, shedding light on the fun reception the competitors have enjoyed in Beijing.

Just ask the United States' women's defending champion Coco Gauff, aka the "Fruit Salad Queen", how thoughtful her growing legion of fans is when it comes to flooding her with love and support, and the two-time major winner would rate it unmatched.

After all, her collection of gifts in Beijing has beaten her Christmas haul.

"I will say, the Chinese fans have been the nicest fans on tour by far. Just the gifts and everything ... It's more gifts than I've gotten on Christmas, and I was a pretty spoiled kid. It's just insane," Gauff said of the treatment she's received from fans during the ongoing "China Swing" of tournaments.

"I don't know if I'll get as many gifts elsewhere in the world. I hope the western side of the world can be as nice as the Chinese fans are," said the world No 3, who was eventually beaten by her 4th-ranked compatriot Amanda Anisimova 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing.

Well aware of their idol's habits, including snacking on fruit salads during changeovers, Gauff's Chinese fans had been affectionately rooting for her with the regal moniker until the American star threw down a challenge.

After hearing that one of her fellow countrywomen Jessica Pegula's Chinese nicknames is "capybara", Gauff is looking for an equivalent.

"I would like to know what animal resonates with me," said Gauff, who has landed in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, to play another WTA 1000 tournament, which is set to start on Monday.

"I mean, 'fruit salad' is cool, but I think being named after an animal is cooler. I would like to see what animal they think I am."

Perhaps, Pegula wanted something more innocuously straightforward as well, after learning about her other nickname, the one that has truly gone viral on Chinese social media.

"Da Fu", which literally translates to "Big Rich", has been how most of Pegula's growing legion of Chinese fans have been referring to her during her stay in Beijing, referencing her billionaire parents.

The gifts Chinese fans had prepared for Pegula proved to be personal and meticulously curated, such as a key ring engraved with a likeness of her beloved dog Maddie, and a beautifully designed traditional paper fan bearing the inscription "Princess of Buffalo" in Chinese, honoring the American star's family roots in the New York state city.

These aren't generic fan offerings, Pegula noted, but products of research, affection and understanding of their favorite players' lives beyond the baseline.

"Even though I did feel it last year, this year it feels like it's a lot more," Pegula said of her surprising popularity in Beijing, where she reached the semifinals last week. "I'm not sure why. Maybe over the years gaining fans and stuff like that. Or maybe I'm just embracing it a little bit more."

"They're so creative with a lot of the off-court stuff. They definitely research a lot of things. It's been a lot of fun. I definitely can feel a lot more support coming here."

Russian teen star Mirra Andreeva echoed the sentiment of her American colleagues, hailing the loyal and frenetic fan support in China as a unique motivation that she never feels anywhere else away from home.

The 18-year-old world No 5 didn't go as far as expected in Beijing, stunned by British challenger Sonay Kartal in the fourth round, but didn't leave the Chinese capital empty-handed.

She's gained a catchy new nickname "Xiao Mi La", a pun that means "Little Spicy Pepper" in English, with its Chinese pronunciation similar to "Little Mirra".

"I love the conditions here in Beijing. Also the support of the fans is unmatchable," said Andreeva, who was among the most-followed international players at the China Open, even during her practice sessions at the National Tennis Center.

"I always have, like, a full court. It's packed, even when I practice for 20 minutes. I was like, OK, I don't do anything that any other player doesn't do.

"For me, it also provides a lot of motivation, because they are genuinely supportive. They're so happy when you do well, like I'm part of their family. I receive so much support, it's just crazy."

Even with this year's China Swing still underway, Gauff says she's committed to reciprocating the love and loyalty of her Chinese fans by promising to come back next season.

"Every time someone gives me a gift, it's so personalized. You can tell they've been thinking about this thing for a couple of weeks, or got something made, before I came here," she said.

"It makes me want to come to this tournament, because I don't want someone to make something for me and I don't show up. Unless I'm injured, I'm going to definitely come here to Beijing (next year) because I love it."