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SCMP Sport

Reuters

Andy Murray has confirmed he will head to China in September to compete in the ATP Tour Zhuhai Championships.
The Wimbledon and US Open winner will join his fellow former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev at the tournament, which heralds the return of elite men’s tennis to the country.
It will be the double Olympic Games gold medallist’s second visit to the southern Chinese city after he played in its inaugural tournament three years ago.
The 35-year-old has overcome a career-threatening hip injury to re-establish himself among the best of the men’s game.

A winner of 46 ATP Tour titles, Murray has made it clear that he is prioritising tournaments he identifies as critical to his ability to return to the top.
Last week, the Scot won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Surbiton to move to a ranking of No 44.
Murray’s best results have come on grass and hard courts, and he said he welcomed the Zhuhai Championships’ return to the ATP Tour calendar.
“It’s great to be playing tennis in China again and I am really looking forward to coming back to play at the Hengqin International Tennis Centre,” Murray said.
“I really enjoyed my last visit to Zhuhai. It’s a beautiful city and a great city with great fans.”
Officials hope Murray will not be the last big-name player to sign up for the championships, which will run from September 20 to 26.
Elsewhere, Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez, who will retire this season after 25 years on the ATP Tour, was on Thursday appointed tournament director of the Davis Cup Finals.
Lopez, who has been the Madrid Open’s tournament director since 2019, is a four-time Davis Cup champion and reached a career-high ranking of 12. The 41-year-old replaces compatriot David Ferrer in the role.
“I’ve been doing this for the last four years with Madrid and in the beginning it was a big challenge for me,” Lopez said. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to do it, since I was an active player when I decided to join the team in Madrid.

“But I have to say that it is the best decision I’ve ever made. I was able to still play on the tour, be competitive, and also be on the other side of the industry and learn a lot of things that I wasn’t paying attention to as a player.”
Lopez, who exited the Stuttgart Open in the second round on Monday, said he plans to compete at more grass-court events at the Queen’s Club and the Mallorca Open and hopes to end his career at Wimbledon, should he get a wild card for the major.
“After that, I’ll be free,” Lopez said. “No more tennis, and I can focus on the Davis Cup.”


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ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)

Andy Murray to play in China in September as he signs up for ‘beautiful’ Zhuhai’s ATP Tour event

Andy Murray won the ATP Challenger Tour title in Surbiton at the weekend. Photo: Action Images via Reuters

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev will also be appearing in the Zhuhai tournament in September. Photo: dpa

Feliciano Lopez (left) celebrates with Andy Murray after they won the 2019 men’s doubles at Queen’s Club. Photo: AP

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Cameron Norrie in action at last December’s Hong Kong International Tennis Challenge. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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Zhang Zhizhen celebrates  after beating Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round of the men’s singles at the French Open. Photo: Xinhua

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Sport

Tennis

China

Murray ‘really looking forward to coming back’, having ‘enjoyed my last visit to Zhuhai’, while another former world No 1, Daniil Medvedev, will also play
Zhuhai Championships mark the return of elite men’s tennis to the country after Covid-19 hiatus


Andy Murray ‘really looking forward to coming back’, having ‘enjoyed my last visit to Zhuhai’, as tournament marks the return of elite men’s tennis to the country after Covid-19 hiatus.
