Djokovic wowed by China Open crowds
Having seen and done almost everything in the sport around the world, 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic still marveled at the enthusiasm of Chinese fans after playing his first match in 11 years at the China Open on Wednesday.
The Serbian great returned to the premier men’s and women’s combined tennis event in the Chinese capital for the first time since his appearance in 2015, only to realize that the public interest in the sport in China has soared far beyond his expectations.
“A very pleasant surprise to see the full stadium in the first round,” Djokovic said after beating Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6 (2) to reach the second round at the ATP 500 event, amid rousing cheers from the sellout crowd at the central court on the eve of China’s National Day holiday.
“I remember from playing here 11 years ago that people would come in big numbers to watch tennis and their favorite players. “They have a great tennis passion and tradition in this city.
They have proven it once more today. They definitely exceeded my expectations,” he said.
Underlined by the electrifying vibe on the first night, which saw a capacity crowd of over 13,000 spectators swarm into the arena for Djokovic’s opener, organizers expect to build on last year’s all-time record of 360,000 total attendance to further cement the tournament’s status as a must-visit holiday destination in town, not only for tennis fans but also tourists from home and abroad.
“I think this is only the beginning of what we hope will be another successful year in the tournament’s history,” Li Xuhua, general manager of China Open Promotion Ltd, told China Central Television.
To better tap into the consumption potential the tournament generates, the China Open has teamed up with partner hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and sightseeing landmarks to offer ticket holders extra discounts at surrounding businesses as a boost for sports tourism during the holiday.
As the nation pushes the sports sector as a new driver for growth in the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), the sports entertainment business has been hailed by industry observers as a new frontier for stimulating consumption.
“I think we still have a lot more potential to tap into, studying the cases of more established events, such as the four Grand Slams; tournament organizers should work closely with business partners to offer more entertainment products and services,” said Wang Xueli, director of Tsinghua University’s center for development of the sports industry.
Anchored by the prestigious China Open, which also features a top-flight WTA 1000 tournament, the international tennis season is ushering in the autumn “China Swing” with five more events on the men’s and women’s professional circuits scheduled across the country through the end of this month.
Combined revenues of nine tournaments during the same stretch last year exceeded 1 billion yuan ($149 million), with total ticket revenue hitting a record 250 million yuan, according to the General Administration of Sport of China.
A glittering cast of international stars – Djokovic, newly crowned US Open champion Alexander Zverev of Germany, reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and women’s world No 1 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan – are all competing in Beijing this week before moving on to their next tournaments in China.
“You are on your way to becoming a strong tennis nation,” tennis legend Billie Jean King of the United States said last month in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, before the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
“The number of tournaments you have on the Asian swing is huge, as well as the investment you made. And that’s going to pay off on all fronts.”
