Sharapova, Serena Williams to play in China Open

GoTennis ^ | 07/27/04 | Reuters (via GoTennis)

[theFIRMbss]

Sharapova, Serena Williams to play in China Open

2004-07-27 09:54:46 GMT (Reuters)

BEIJING, July 27 (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova and beaten finalist Serena Williams will play at the first China Open in Beijing this September, organisers said on Tuesday.

Russian Sharapova and six-times grand slam champion Williams join a list of top male players at the event, including 2000 U.S. Open champion Marat Safin, former world number one Carlos Moya and number one Asian player Paradorn Srichaphan.

China Open director Lincoln Venancio said the aim was to develop the event into one of the world's top five tennis tournaments.

It will be held on 15 hard courts at the capital city's new tennis centre.

State television giant CCTV plans to broadcast it to as many as 700 million people and it is expected to reach the largest domestic audience for any tennis event.

Up to 600,000 people were expected to attend the September 10-26 tournament, which includes men's, women's, juniors' and seniors' brackets, organisers said.

[theFIRMbss]

>State television giant CCTV plans to broadcast it to as many as 700 million people

This book was written by a Tennis Magazine writer. He includes an incredible chapter about Born Again Christians in tennis. He is fair [!] and writes how he himself learned a lot about Christian thought from interviewing players. China still arrests Christians passing out Bibles on the street. Maybe bringing these people to play sports will help. (Serene Williams is a Jehovah's Witness. In her post-match speech at Wimbledon, she thanked Jehovah from court-side! Will China show that?!)

[wingnutx]

Tennis shmennis, when are they gonna wrestle?

[theFIRMbss]

>when are they gonna wrestle?

Hey, tennis is still sports, not sports entertainment. If you want this stuff, for now you'll have to tune in Mondays or Thursdays. (If Vince ran tennis . . .)