The 3rd Tennis China Open started September 9 in Beijing with over 200 top players over the world competing in the 16-day event.

Established with the objective of becoming one of the world's top five tennis tournaments, the event is organized by China's General Administration of Sports and the Beijing municipal government. The 16-day tournament includes competitions for ATP and WTA players, ITF junior players in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

The men's event has attracted big names including world No.3 Croatian Ivan Ljubicic (top seed), No.5 Nikolay Davydenko as well as No.9 Marcos Baghdatis despite the absence of title holder Rafael Nadal, who overcame a one-set deficit to defeat Guillermo Coria of Argentina 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win the 2005 China Open title. Nadal pulled out on Saturday due to an ankle injury.

Marcos Baghdatis

Over the weekend, all 18 male Chinese players were expelled from the qualifying stages with six hanging on into the second round before being ousted.

Asia's top player Thai Paradorn Srichapan, seeded sixth, will open the draw tournament today, taking on Germany's Rainer Schuettler with the men's singles final to be held on Sunday.

On the women's side, four of the world's top 10 players will join the all-star roster, including World No.1 Amelie Mauresmo of France, Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic and the Russian duo of Svetlana Kuznetsova (No.5) and Nadia Petrova (No.7). Retiring tennis veteran Lindsay Davenport and Maria Kirilenko, world No.25 and last year's women's singles champion, will add to the sport's glamor in Beijing.

World 21st ranked Li Na will spearhead the Chinese women players in both singles and doubles at the WTA tournament.

Li, 24, who created a record for Chinese women's tennis by entering Wimbledon's last eight and making the last 16 at the US Open this year, will join 32nd-ranked Zheng Jie in the singles events and also partner Jelena Jankovic of Serbia?in the doubles.

In the doubles, Zheng Jie/Yan Zi, who were ousted by Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic and Francesca Schiavone of Italy 7-5, 6-4 in the quarter-finals at the US Open early this month, will try to renew their form while Olympic doubles champion Li Ting and Sun Tiantian have also confirmed their participation.

In last year's China Open, Peng Shuai and Sun Tiantian?crashed out in the last eight while Zheng/Yan went into the doubles final.

The US$1.1 million tournament runs until September 24.

(China.org.cn by Li Xiao, September 11, 2006)