MACAU, December 23, 2024 (Press Release)

The “2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters” is ready to captivate tennis enthusiasts, kicking off tomorrow with two days of exhilarating competition featuring a fresh team-based format that brings together global legends and top-ranked players. 

In the lead-up to the much-anticipated tournament, players have embraced Macau’s rich cultural heritage and community spirit, uniting sports, culture and tourism to spark excitement across the city. 

The festivities commenced with a Tennis Clinic at the Macau Tennis Academy, where icons Li Na and Karolina Muchova mentored junior tennis players aged 9 to 18. Many of these budding talents, already champions in the Greater Bay Area, had the extraordinary opportunity to hone their skills alongside international stars. The WTA players shared insights and engaged in drills, leaving a lasting impact on Macau’s next generation of tennis athletes.

“I cherish this rare opportunity to play with the legends. I am truly amazed at their proficient skills and try to catch their actions up close in detail in order to enhance my skills,” said one young participant. 

The public engagement bonanza continued this morning at the iconic A-ma Temple. Li Na, Michael Chang, Wang Xinyu, and Karolina Muchova, along with some junior tennis talents from the day before, showcased their skills in a lively Mini Tennis exhibition, bringing the joy of tennis closer to fans and fostering tennis popularity in the local community.

After the exhibition, the quartet visited Barra Kitchen to savour several snacks reflecting Macau’s rich culinary heritage as a UNESCO-designated “City of Gastronomy.” Among the delicacies they enjoyed were the iconic Portuguese tarts, whimsical manhole-cover-shaped treats, flavour-packed boneless chicken wing buns, and indulgent mango glutinous rice cakes. 

In the afternoon, Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Kei Nishikori and Juncheng Shang joined their fellow competitors at the “2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters” arrival press conference, held at MGM COTAI. The press conference was graced by the presence of Kenneth Feng, President and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited; Jennifer Si Tou, Head of the Tourism Product and Events Department of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Vincent Chan Hoi Fong, Acting Head of Sports Associations Support Division of the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government; Ung Ioc Leng, President of the Macau Tennis Association; Luiz Carvalho, Tournament Director and IMG Senior Vice President of Tennis Events. Also present were representatives from the tournament’s key supporting partners, including Gigi Ng, Fila Marketing Manager and Eric Ieong, Passenger Section Representative from EVA Air (Macau Branch).

“This is such a unique event, offering fans the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with top players. Events like this are fantastic for growing the sport and engaging with the community. Our focus will be to enjoy the competition, aim for victory in every match, and deliver a memorable experience for the fans,” said Li Na.

“When you bring together world-class players in a vibrant city like Macau, and with everyone gearing up to play in Australia, it creates the perfect atmosphere for exciting tennis and entertainment. I expect the matches to be both fun and fiercely competitive, and I’m really looking forward to seeing it all unfold,” said Michael Chang.

The “2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters” officially kicks off at 1pm tomorrow at the Macao Forum, with the much-anticipated Captains Challenge, which will set the stage for a friendly yet competitive rivalry between Team Li Na and Team Michael Chang. The opening day will feature two thrilling men’s singles matches as Casper Ruud takes on Kei Nishikori in an exciting first encounter, followed by Juncheng Shang facing off against Andrey Rublev. To cap off the day, fans can look forward to an action-packed mixed doubles match, where Juncheng Shang will team up with Xinyu Wang to take on the pairing of Andrey Rublev and Karolina Muchova.

To add to the festive and community-driven spirit, two lucky fans will be chosen after the final match of day one to participate in the Captains Challenge the following afternoon, joining the players in a fun-filled court showdown. 

With world-class players on display and a unique format that blends elite competition with holiday festivities, the “2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters” is expected to draw international visitors to Macau, further reinforcing the city’s reputation as a premier destination for global sporting events.

Tickets for the two-day tournament are available through www.MGM.mo