Along with the ground-breaking doubles title at the Australian Open last month, Chinese tennis fans received more good news as Spanish maverick Rafael Nadal and Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic expressed their intention to play at the China Open this autumn, according to tournament organizers.

With over six months to the tournament, Nadal and Vaidisova are the first two players planning to participate and organizers believe more top players will join them in the coming days.

Celebrating its third successive year, China Open, the biggest tennis event ever to be held in Beijing, has set off a tennis frenzy across the country, as Nadal won his tenth title of the year and Russian hopeful Maria Kirilenko clinched her maiden WTA championship.

Nadal, 19, rocked the tennis world in a dramatic fashion in 2005.

Starting the year at No 51 in the ATP Rankings, the Spaniard, equipped with pirate trousers and sleeveless shirts that show off his bulging biceps, rose to become the king of the French Open at 19 with his record-breaking 24 consecutive victories, becoming the first player to win a Grand Slam title as the event's newcomer since Andre Agassi at the 1995 Australian Open.

He pocketed as many as ten ATP titles in 2005, including four Master Series.

China Open is his second championship on the hardcourt following his success at the Montreal Masters in Canada, refreshing his image just known as the "King of Claycourt".

"This is a perfect week for me and I'm so happy with the people and culture in Beijing," said the Spanish phenom after winning China Open men's singles title last year. "For sure, I will be back next year to defend the championship here."

Nadal has entered the semi-finals at the ATP Marseille this month, giving others a clear sign that he has fully recovered from right ankle injuries, which sidelined him from the Australian Open this year.

Vaidisova, now No 13 on WTA Rankings, is set to be another eye-catching women's player at the China Open, an event that has seen a string of beauties, including Russian Maria Sharapova and the rising Kilirenko.

The 17-year-old Czech, who has won as many as five WTA trophies over the past two years, got off to a striking start in 2006 as she made the fourth round as 13th seed at the Australian Open.

(China Daily February 23, 2006)