HONG KONG, January 7, 2024 (Press Release)
World No. 5 Andrey Rublev beat Emil Ruusuvuori, 6-4, 6-4, to win the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2024 (BOCHKTO 2024) today at a sold-out Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, as Hong Kong marked the successful return of ATP Tennis tournament action to the city for the first time since 2002.
It was the 15th career singles title for Rublev, who grabbed his first win in nearly two seasons in straight sets, in one of the quickest matches of the week as he rounds into dangerous form for the 2024 season.
In good spirits 😁@AndreyRublev97 becomes the first new champion in Hong Kong since it was last held in 2002 👏@Hkto_mens pic.twitter.com/tHFYNr6hGf
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 7, 2024
“To win the title is something special. I couldn’t have had a better week so I’m really happy,” said Rublev after the final, which was attended by The Hon. John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
“With a full happy feeling I go to Melbourne now and I will enjoy one week of practice there and then we start the Australian Open. I am happy with the way I was performing all of the week and with the level that I showed,” said Rublev who has delighted the fans this week with his outgoing demeanour and a never-ending supply of autographs and selfies.
Arevalo/Pavic triumph in doubles
El Salvador’s Marcel Arevalo and Croatia’s Mate Pavic beat doubles top seeds Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen of Belgium, 7-6, 6-5 to lift the doubles crown in their first tournament partnering each other.
With BOCHKTO 2024 enjoying pride of place as one of the events in the opening week of the global ATP 2024 Season, a glittering field of star players helped ring in the new year and a new era for men’s tennis in the city.
Tens of thousands of spectators visited the tournament and the adjacent BOCHKTO 2024 Tournament Village across the eight-day festival of sport, as the event delivered on the promise of its ‘Tennis Connects Us’ slogan.
From the opening day on 31 December – when thousands of spectators enjoyed the chance to watch matches on all three competition courts for free, to the many star players, including World No. 15 Karen Khachanov, who celebrated their New Year’s Eve watching Hong Kong’s historic first fireworks extravaganza since the pandemic on the harbourfront, BOCHKTO 2024 was an event that was shared with all of Hong Kong, and an event that shared Hong Kong with the world.
