China Open: 10 Things You May Not Know

 

Originally published on 27/09/14

The China Open was first held in 1993 as part of the ATP’s introduction of new Asian tournaments, along with Qatar and Dubai. 

Michael Chang won the event three consecutive times in its early days, from 1993-95. 
 

In 2006 the China Open became the first tournament outside of the USA to use Hawkeye. 
 

Great Britain’s Greg Rusedski won the title in 1996. He lost in the 1993 final while under Canadian allegiance.
 

Novak Djokovic has a perfect 19-0 record at Beijing, having won it four out of four times he’s played (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013).

There have been seven different winners of the WTA event in as many years. 
 

In 2009 The tournament moved to the Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Centre following the 2008 Olympic Games.
 

It expanded to an 11-court venue in 2011, boasting a new 15,000 seat stadium with a retractable roof – named the Diamond Court. 

The highest ranking of China’s top male player Ze Zhang: 193

21 is the ranking of home hope Peng Shuai, now the No.1 Chinese woman following Li Na’s retirement. Peng reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open this month, retiring against Caroline Wozniacki with heat exhaustion.

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