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Stadium for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai Unveiled |
Stadium for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai Unveiled
Photo by John Gollings
Tennis Masters Cup organizers today unveiled the futuristic Qi Zhong Stadium, home to the Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai 2005-2007 at a press conference at the US Open. Architectural photographs and a 3-D CAD video depicting the stadium and its 8-piece magnolia roof gave media a preview of the breath-taking 15,000-seat stadium.
Tennis Masters Cup Tournament Director, Brad Drewett said: “We are very proud to be staging the event at the spectacular Qi Zhong Stadium, built specially for the Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai 2005-2007.”
Mr Drewett recounted how building a major world-class stadium was the dream of former Shanghai Mayor Chen Liangyu.
“After the success of the 2002 Masters Cup, Mayor Chen reminded me of his goal to build a world-class tennis facility with a great tennis stadium. We then organized for a Chinese team to visit the four Grand Slams and also Miami to research the world’s best tennis stadiums.”
USTA Chairman and President Franklin R. Johnson welcomed the Chinese delegation to the US Open. Mr Jiang Lan, Secretary General of the Preparatory Committee and Vice-President of the Promoter Shanghai Ba-Shi Industrial said: “The Qi Zhong Stadium is a new generation of tennis facility which will create even more commitment and interest in the Tennis Masters Cup around the world. Upon completion, the center will be Asia's largest tennis facility, occupying 80 hectares and featuring a total of 40 indoor and outdoor courts. The Qi Zhong facility will also be used for tennis development for China's future stars.”
Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai champion, attended the presentation and spoke of his anticipation of the event and the pleasure of playing in Shanghai.
Hewitt said: “It's very pleasing for not only myself, going back there to Shanghai for the next three years, but I think for all the players in general because they put on such a marvelous event for all the players. We felt very welcome there. I think the way that the whole region really took to tennis in that week (2002) was pretty amazing. From what I've heard, it's just getting bigger and bigger throughout the Asian region now, the sport of tennis, which is fantastic.”
Speaking about the magnitude of the event for players, Hewitt said: “It's the pinnacle of the sport at the end of the year. It's what I think every player looks forward to, going there. It's obviously a bonus if you're competing for No. 1, to try to finish the year at No. 1 as well. But I think for every other player that actually gets invited to play there - it's what you've been playing for all year. So in a lot of ways it's really an enjoyable week win, lose, or draw as well in a lot of ways because you go there and you feel a sense of great achievement by just making it to the tournament.”
The Race for the remaining six places at the Tennis Masters Cup will be hotly contested over the coming two months as the countdown to Shanghai continues. World No.1 Roger Federer and Spanish sensation Rafael Nadal, currently in second position in the INDESIT ATP 2005 Race, have qualified. Andy Roddick (3rd) and two-time Tennis Masters Cup champion Hewitt (4th) lead the battle for the remaining Shanghai spots.
INDESIT ATP 2005 Race Leader Board (as of August 29, 2005)
Pos. Player/NAT Pts
1st Federer,Roger/SUI* 1010
2nd Nadal,Rafael/ESP* 838
3rd Roddick,Andy/USA 547
4th Hewitt,Lleyton/AUS 400
5th Davydenko,Nikolay/RUS 371
6th Coria,Guillermo/ARG 353
7th Safin,Marat/RUS* 346
8th Gaudio,Gaston/ARG 343
9th Andre Agassi 315
10th Puerta,Mariano/ARG 294
* 2005 Grand Slam champions |
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