For Tennis Now | @Itenisi_Manje | Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Photo credit: MGM Macau Tennis Masters Facebook
Christmas in Macau will be a celebration of tennis.
Captains Li Na (pictured above) and Michael Chang have selected their teams for the 2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters, which will host the first mixed-gender tournament in Asia.
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The two-day event is scheduled for December 24-25. Li Na and Michael Chang have selected the top three on the ATP and WTA Tours for their teams.
Team Li Na rising aspects of Chinese astrology Shang Juncheng again Wang Xinyunear Norway Casper Ruud.
On the opposite side, Team Michael Chang stars Andrey Rublev, Karolina Muchova, again Lorenzo Musetti.
On Tuesday, December 24, the game will begin with the Captain's Challenge at 1pm and will be followed by the men's first, where Casper Ruud will face Lorenzo Musetti. Their head-to-head record currently stands at 1-1, setting the stage for an interesting battle.
That will be followed by Shang Juncheng who will face Andrey Rublev. The two have clashed once before on the regular tour, with Rublev coming out on top in Hong Kong. Closing out Day 1 will be an exciting mixed doubles encounter, as Shang teams up with Wang Xinyu to face Rublev and Karolina Muchova.
On Christmas Day, the first match following the Captain's Challenge will see Wang Xinyu take on Karolina Muchova, with the latter holding a 1-0 lead in their official outing.
Next up will be another men's thriller, as Casper Ruud takes on Andrey Rublev. Their rivalry is tilted in Rublev's favor, with a dominant record of 5-3.
The final match of the event will be the clash between Shang Juncheng and Lorenzo Musetti. Shang leads their tour-level series 1-0, having defeated the Italian in the Chengdu Open final earlier this year.
“I think it's going to be a great day at the MGM Macau Tennis Masters, and I'm looking forward to trying to come up with a plan against Michael's team,” said Li Na. “I'm happy to have two top Chinese players, Juncheng and Xinyu, and having someone like us and Casper will be great.”
Chang, widely known in his playing days as one of the quickest intellectuals on the court, will undoubtedly be tested in this unique format.
“We will be ready for anything from Li Na and her team,” said Michael Chang. “I am happy with the players I have, and I know they will give them everything they have.
“My players have enjoyed a lot of success in Asia and feel comfortable playing here, so we are up for the challenge.”
Tickets for the two-day tournament are available www.MGM.mo.
Daily tickets are priced from MOP180 to MOP580 for VIP seats. Two-day passes start from MOP250 to MOP1,000 for VIP seats.
