THE MGM MACAU TENNIS MASTERS PROUDLY PRESENTS ASIA’S FIRST MIXED-GENDER TEAM FORMAT TOURNAMENT

Get ready for a dazzling blend of sports and holiday spirit as the 2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters returns this December with Asia’s first mixed-gender team format tourxfment.

Set against the backdrop of celebrating the 25^th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR, the 2024 edition of the MGM Macau Tennis Masters will take place on 24-25 December 2024 at Macao Forum, promising fans an unforgettable experience. This year’s event also introduces a thrilling new twist, featuring six elite players split into two groups, with each group captained by a genuine legend from the world of tennis.

Li Na, the genuine legend from the world of tennis will lead a team of young tennis players to compete with the team led by another legend Michael Chang.

Further details on the second annual MGM Macau Tennis Masters were announced at a media conference held at MGM MACAU today, which featured Luís Gomes, President of the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government, 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, Ma Iao Iao, Chairman of the Macau Tennis Association,  Luiz Carvalho, Tournament Director and IMG Senior Vice President of Tennis Events,  and Li Na, Event Captain, Former WTA world ranking No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion.

Li Na, the genuine legend from the world of tennis will lead a team of young tennis players to compete with the team led by another legend Michael Chang.

“The 2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters is gearing up to be an extraordinary event, and it is with great excitement that we unveil our team captains – Li Na and Michael Chang, Carvalho said. “This marks the first time both these incredible Hall of Famers will captain teams in this format. They will be a fantastic addition for our fans, having brought immeasurable joy to tennis fans around the globe. Their participation in this milestone event for Macau is the perfect way to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR.”

Li Na, the Event Captain, Former WTA world ranking No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion attended the Press Conference today.

“We are pleased to announce a stunning lineup of confirmed ATP players – Casper Ruud, Lorenzo Musetti, Shang Juncheng (Jerry) and Andrey Rublev. These players are among the top talents in the tennis world today – Casper and Andrey are in the top ten, Lorenzo is in the top 20 and Jerry is the youngest player in the men’s top 50.

“Ruud achieved a career-high world ranking of No. 2 and has been a three-time major finalist, Musetti recently made history by winning Italy’s first tennis Olympic medal in 100 years at the Paris Games, Shang also created history by becoming the first Chinese man to win a tour level event on home soil and is spoken of as future world top ten player, and Rublev is a winner of 16 career titles, including two at the Masters 1000 level.

“We are also thrilled to reveal the two WTA players joining the MGM Macau Tennis Masters field – China’s Wang Xinyu, who is making her second appearance, and Czechia’s Karolina Muchova. Soon we will reveal which players will be under the guidance of Li Na and which ones will be under the captaincy of Michael Chang.”

“MGM and IMG co-organized the inaugural Tennis Masters last year, attracting tennis fans and spectators from all over the world to Macau with a stellar line-up of A-list players. This year, we welcome the return of this eagerly anticipated high level competition at a joyous time of the year. The event continues to bring forth the synergy between sports and tourism to create an exclusive sports event brand for Macau, further elevating its transformation into a ‘City of Sports’ and a destination for world-class elite sports events,” Feng said.

This event is set to be one of the first instances that a female captain will be up against a male captain. Li Na is a celebrated figure around the world, with her humour and personality making her a firm crowd favourite. She reached a world ranking of No.2, has scored major titles at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2019.

Michael Chang, meanwhile, remains the youngest man to win a major, having claimed the French Open at the age of 17 years and 109 days. Chang, who has also reached the finals of the Australian Open and the US Open, similarly achieved a world No. 2 ranking during his career. With 34 titles to his name, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008.

In consecutive years, Ruud, Norway’s greatest tennis talent, reached the finals of the French Open and in 2022 the US Open final, as well as the season-ending ATP Finals. Having accumulated 12 career titles, spanning both clay and hardcourt surfaces, Ruud has firmly established himself among the sport’s elite. His accomplishments also include representing Norway at the Olympic Games, further cementing his status as a national sporting icon.

Musetti, meanwhile, is currently Italy’s second-ranked player. The 22-year-old, who recently became a father, delivered a remarkable performance at the Paris Olympics, defeating top players such as Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev and Félix Auger-Aliassime to secure a historic bronze medal for his nation. Over the past season, Musetti was also a finalist at The Queen’s Club, Umag and Chengdu, a semifinalist at Wimbledon and Stuttgart, and a quarterfinalist in Adelaide.

Local fans will be thrilled to see China’s exciting and charismatic teenager Jerry Shang on court. The 2024 season has been a terrific break-out year for the Beijing born lefthander, who recently reached a career high ranking inside the top 50 after following his maiden title at the Chengdu Open. He is the second highest ranked national player, and he is the only teenager in the Top 50. He started the year with a run into the final in nearby Hong Kong, upsetting Frances Tiafoe en route, and also reached the third round at both the Australian and US Open.

Former world No. 5 Rublev possesses a powerful game, anchored by a formidable serve and an explosive forehand. Over the course of his career, the 27-year-old has claimed impressive victories over tennis icons such as Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and close friend Daniil Medvedev. Notably, he recently became the first player – man or woman – to record 40 wins in every year of the 2020 decade.

Another player local fans will be excited to witness in action is Wang, who is currently ranked at No. 37, just shy of her career best of No. 32. Describing her style of play as “aggressive and decisive”, the 23-year-old Shenzhen native is a major winner, having claimed the French Open doubles title in 2023, and, more recently, picked up a historic silver medal for China in the mixed doubles event of the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, Muchova reached a career high ranking of No.8 in September last year and is known as one of the smartest players on tour. The Czech also achieved her best career result at last year’s French Open, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka to reach her first major singles final, and made the last four at this year’s US Open, upsetting Jasmine Paolini and Naomi Osaka en route.

Matches will be contested as best-of-three tiebreak sets, with the final set decided by a thrilling masters tiebreak, in which players need to win with ten or more points by an advantage of two points.

On 24 December, the first day of matches will start at 1pm, featuring one mixed doubles and two men’s singles match. On 25 December from 1pm, a women’s singles and two men’s singles matches will be played, followed by an award ceremony closing out what is expected to be a great two days of tennis action at a special time of the year.

The event is honoured to have the support of the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government, Macao Government Tourism Office, and the Macau Tennis Association, together with our distinguished partners, including the official outfitter FILA, official airline Eva Air and the official water Bonaqua.

Tickets for the two-day tournament are available from 4 November through www.MGM.mo and www.Damai.cn. Daily tickets are priced from MOP180 to MOP580 for VIP seats. Two-day passes start from MOP250 up to MOP1,000 for VIP seating.

For more information, please visit the official event website at www.MGMMacauTennis.com.