Macao hosts third successful year-end tennis championship

Boasting world-class facilities at the Macao Tennis Academy and five-star accommodations at the Grand Lisboa Palace, the Macao finals has cemented its status as the "player favorite" event on the CTA Tour with the country's best savoring their enjoyable experiences on and off the court at the tournament.

"Everything here was so well-organized and the facilities are just top-notch. The operation was smooth and professional," said Wang, a two-time WTA singles title winner who competed in Macao for the first time.

"I think having already run a lot of events on the pro circuits, Chinese organizers are just fully capable of organizing tennis tournaments up to international standards, and the Macao finals this year was proof of just that."

As a routine of the Macao tournament, tennis legend and two-time major winner Li Na made her third straight trip to the city to take part in a series of promotional and youth exchange events, adding more Grand Slam luster to the domestic tournament.

Li, as an global ambassador of the charitable initiative, held a Special Olympic tennis clinic together with men's singles player Li Zhe and eventual women's doubles winner Guo on Dec 6 at the Macao Tennis Academy, where they taught Special Olympic athletes from the city fundamental skills, signed autographs and shared inspirational stories to make it an unforgettable experience for participants.

Li also engaged in interactions with local youth in Macao during the "Dialogues with Outstanding Athletes" from the sidelines of the tournament, having young sports enthusiasts intrigued by her own experience as one of the greatest tennis players in Asia and inspiring greater interest in the game.

Hosting the elite tournament as well as a variety of promotions around the event for three years has significantly helped enhance Macao's image as a hot tennis destination, said Ng Ioc-leng, president of the Macao Tennis Association.

"It really helps to enlighten young people in Macao on the charm of tennis for them to watch and learn from the country's best at their doorsteps," Ng said.

"To have top pros such as Wang on the women's side and accomplished men's aces, such as Li, compete in front of the crowd here is definitely a boon for us to promote tennis in Macao. It's a worthwhile experience for every spectator for sure," she said.