The US Open is the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, after which the tennis world will enter "China time," and preparations for the Chinese tennis season are already underway. This year's tennis season in China begins in Chengdu and Hangzhou in September and concludes in Hong Kong in November, with eight cities hosting eight tournaments in succession. As the number of tournaments increases, more and more events are combining spectator experience with city tourism, making a single tournament a reason for tourists to visit a city.

It is expected to drive related consumption of over 16 billion yuan by 2025.

Bai Xilin, director of the Tennis Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, stated at the launch ceremony of the Chinese season that the 2025 Chinese season attracted nearly one million spectators, generating 250 million yuan in box office revenue and driving related consumption exceeding 16 billion yuan. The Shanghai Masters is a relatively mature example. In 2025, the event attracted approximately 250,000 attendees, with overseas spectators accounting for about 10%.

This year's eight-stop tournament runs from mid-September to early November, taking place in eight cities: Chengdu, Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Ningbo, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. Shanghai has further launched "ticket + transportation + accommodation" packages for out-of-town and international tourists, and plans to strengthen the connection between the tournament and urban consumer spaces through joint tickets and city-wide secondary venues. For some out-of-town and even international fans, watching a match can thus transform from a few hours of stadium experience into a complete city tour.

The China Open in Beijing opted to extend the tournament duration and expand the event space. As one of China's oldest and largest international tennis tournaments, the China Open extended its duration from three weeks to four weeks this year. From junior tournaments and amateur master's events to professional tournaments and celebrity events, the organizers hope to engage different groups of people at different times.

In a recent interview, Li Xuhua, General Manager of the China Open, stated that the junior tournament in the first week of last year's China Open exceeded expectations. "We previously thought that these junior tournaments weren't mainstream, but last year's first week was very lively, mainly because families with children also participated." This change has prompted the China Open to further consider how to utilize a longer tournament cycle. "We hope to make this rare tennis carnival more vibrant and colorful during Beijing's best season, allowing everyone to experience the charm of tennis over a longer period," said Li Xuhua.

Today, the venues for the tournament are no longer limited to tennis centers. This year, the China Open plans to collaborate with relevant departments in Beijing to set up more "second venues" in major commercial districts, bringing tournament information to public spaces through large screens and themed decorations, thus better integrating the tournament into the city.

China Open launches "Impressions of Beijing" series of events

The China Open is also exploring ways to bring international tennis stars into urban spaces. Previously, world-renowned tennis players Coco Gauff and Alcaras visited Beijing's cultural landmarks, including the Forbidden City, and subsequently won the China Open, becoming popular topics among tennis fans. This year, the China Open plans to continue its "Impressions of Beijing" series of events. For overseas players, these activities increase their opportunities to learn about Chinese cities beyond the competition; and when players share their experiences on social media, the scope of discussion surrounding the event may extend beyond the tennis courts to the city itself.

This shift is also evident in other host cities. This year's Suzhou Open coincided with the National Day Golden Week holiday. Although the tournament ranking points are far lower than those of tour-level events, the Golden Week provided an opportunity to combine tennis with tourism. Tournament Director Zhou Yunsong stated, "In the past, tourism was about sightseeing, taking photos and checking off landmarks at destinations. Now, especially among the younger generation, they prefer themed travel." He told reporters, "Many people might travel to a city because of a concert, or plan a trip because of an exhibition. Similarly, they can choose a destination based on a tennis tournament."

This year's Suzhou Open also incorporates accommodation and cultural experiences into its arrangements, offering hotel and tennis packages that combine accommodation, tournament viewing, and vacation options for visitors. During the tournament, players will also have the opportunity to visit Suzhou gardens and experience local culture such as Kunqu Opera. Zhou Yunsong hopes these arrangements will link more urban resources to the event.

Players also become an important part of this model. The organizers will assign professional photographers to the participating players to document their matches, training, and tours of Suzhou, and the players can then post these photos on their social media. For overseas fans, the content posted by professional players outside of matches provides a window into understanding Suzhou and China.

"Chinese fans are the friendliest on the tour."

The 2025 tennis "China Season" comprises nine tournaments, with Chinese players delivering commendable performances on home soil. Zheng Qinwen, returning to competition after nearly three months of absence due to right elbow surgery, reached the China Open but withdrew due to injury after reaching the third round. Veteran Zhang Shuai, 36, shone, reaching the round of 32 at the China Open, the round of 16 at the Wuhan Open, and the semifinals at the Guangzhou Open. In men's singles, Shang Juncheng defeated world number 10 Khachanov at the Shanghai Masters, reaching the round of 32 for the first time in a Masters tournament; Wu Yibing reached the semifinals at the Hangzhou Open; and Buyunchaoket reached the semifinals in both the China Open and Hangzhou Open.

During the tournament, many overseas players praised their trip to China. Novak Djokovic repeatedly stated that China was the place where he felt the most support besides his hometown, and even wrote the Chinese character "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune) in front of the camera. Daniil Medvedev wrote "我爱上海" (Wo Ai Shanghai, meaning I love Shanghai) in Chinese. Coco Gauff said, "Chinese fans are the friendliest on the tour."

For overseas fans, an international tennis tournament can serve as a starting point for getting to know a Chinese city. With more and more cities hosting tennis seasons in China, and tournaments in different cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Wuhan staggering their dates, some fans can even choose to follow a single player to connect their travel plans across multiple cities. This combination of sporting events and tourism may further extend to inbound tourism.

(Source: Lu Wen'ao, Global Times reporter)