MACAU, December 1, 2023 (Press Release)
The 2023 MGM Macau Tennis Masters set the stage for its spectacular tennis carnival with a grand Players Arrival Press Conference today, featuring a dazzling array of tennis luminaries poised to illuminate the courts of Macau.
The event unfolded in the presence of the six participating distinguished players, a stellar lineup including the dynamic World No. 10 Taylor Fritz; the accomplished six-time WTA singles title winner Daria Kasatkina; the triumphant 2023 French Open doubles champion Wang Xinyu; the seasoned former World No. 12 Borna Coric; the burgeoning Dutch sensation Tallon Griekspoor, and China’s reigning No. 1 male tennis player, Zhang Zhizhen.
Alongside the six stellar tennis players, the press conference was also graced with the esteemed presence of Pansy Ho, Chairperson and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited, and representatives of key supporting partners. These included Pun Weng Kun and Christine Lam Lin Kio, President and Vice-President of Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Ricky Hoi, Deputy Director of Macao Government Tourism Office; Ma Iao Iao, Chairman of Macau Tennis Association; Nikhil Waugh, Assistant Tournament Director of the “2023 MGM Macau Tennis Masters” and Director of Tennis Event of IMG, and Brian Yiu, Chief Executive Officer of FILA CHINA.
The players were thrilled to be in Macau and were ready to compete in the inaugural edition of this exhibition event and put on a show for the spectators.
“It’s my first time here so I’m excited to explore and get to see all the different parts of Macau. I hear the food is very good here so I am looking forward to some good dinners. We have a great group of players, so it’s great that Macau is going to get some really good tennis over the next couple of days,” said Fritz, who reached his career high of No.5 earlier this year in February.
Griekspoor, who was involved in an impromptu tennis clinic for school children yesterday together with Wang and Zhang, shared his excitement at being in Macau: “It’s actually a pretty new experience for me coming to this side of the world. I visited Shanghai for the first time a couple of months ago and I’m looking forward to a great experience this week in Macau. The activity yesterday with the school kids was amazing. There were so many kids and they were all smiling. It was fun to do and fun to see their excitement.”
Coric, meanwhile, expressed his joy at being reunited with his Chinese fans: “I have played some of my best tennis in Shanghai before so I always love to come back to China. Unfortunately, this year I could not make it to Shanghai, so it is great to be here in Macau for the first time. I’m very happy to be here and be able to meet my Chinese fans again,” said Coric.
“The first thing I saw when I arrived in Macau was a lot of lights and a beautiful skyline. I really like these kinds of vibes and I’ve really enjoyed my experience in Macau so far. I’m excited to explore Macau further. Me and Borna have got tough opponents in the mixed doubles, but I am sure we will have a lot of fun on court,” said the former world No.8 Kasatkina, who will partner Coric to play Wang and Zhang in an exciting China vs Europe doubles showdown set for 2pm tomorrow.
China top ranked male tennis star Zhang confessed his love for Macau and its food: “As a self-confessed ‘foodie’, I am a big fan of Macau and its many delicacies, such as egg tarts. I don’t have much experience playing in exhibition games, but I am ready to show off my abilities to all my fans here in Macau.”
His doubles partner shared her excitement at being in Macau and the matches to come: “I’m happy to be here and it was really fun playing with the excited schoolkids yesterday. I have never paired with Zhizhen before but we will try our best to give our opponents a good run for their money. I look forward to giving fans a showcase of fun and competitive tennis here in Macau.”
The collective enthusiasm has set the stage for an extraordinary event that blends elite tennis prowess with the cultural richness of Macau. Aside from thrilling matches, the “2023 MGM Macau Tennis Masters” also promises engaging activities for spectators.
These include lively autograph sessions with marquee players held daily at 1.30pm at the interactive area, starting with Taylor Fritz on Saturday, followed by Zhang Zhizhen on Sunday. On court, plenty of excitement is in store, with unique and entertaining on-court interactive challenges held in between matches, as well as the much-anticipated Lucky Fan Lucky Draw, which will give one fortunate fan the chance to play a point on court with the match winner.
Played on an indoor hard court, all singles matches will be contested as a best-of-three sets with a ten-point match tiebreak instead of a third set, ensuring intense and fast-paced action. The tournament’s unique format and the special mixed doubles faceoff between China and Europe on Day 1 promises to make this an unforgettable event for tennis fans.
The “2023 MGM Macau Tennis Masters” is proud to have the support of esteemed partners, including FILA as the official outfitter, Bonaqua as the official water sponsor, and Lalique as the official trophy sponsor.
Tickets for the two-day tournament are available online through www.MGM.mo, with daily tickets priced from MOP$280 to MOP$880. Two-day passes start from MOP$480 up to MOP$1400.
