French Open Winner Novak Djokovic, Runner-Up Andy Murray, Heartthrob Rafael Nadal Confirmed for China Open Tennis
If staying up to watch the French Open final Sunday night was a bit past your bedtime, fear not, tennis fans. A rematch between champion Novak Djokovic and runner-up Andy Murray could take place right here in Beijing, with both players confirmed to appear at the 2016 China Open in September.
Djokovic, who completed a career Grand Slam with his French Open triumph, is also a six-time China Open winner. Nadal won it in 2005 (and won gold at the National Tennis Center during the 2008 Olympics). Murray has failed to reach the tournament's semi-finals.
Djokovic has become a fan favorite in Beijing, not only for his blistering style of play, but also for his sense of humor. He played an exhibition charity match again Li Na in 2013 to celebrate the China Open's 10th anniversary.
We've said it before and we will happily say it again: the China Open is Beijing's best regularly-scheduled sporting event, hands down. The weather is (almost always) fantastic, the set up is good, the National Tennis Center is actually a great place to watch tennis, and especially if you go in the early rounds, you get to see world-class tennis at ping pong prices.
This year's event will be held September 25 to October 9. Tickets aren't on sale yet, but if you read Chinese, you can keep an eye on things at the China Open's website.
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Photo: The Papare
