China Open to debut in Beijing next year

BEIJING (AP) -- China is launching a new ATP men's tennis tournament as it tries to gain experience with major sports events in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.

The first China Open will be played next September, organizers said Tuesday at a news conference attended by tennis stars Paradorn Srichaphan and Marat Safin, who both are to take part.

It will be China's second major annual event on the world tennis calendar, after the Shanghai Open.

As Beijing prepares for the 2008 Olympics, it needs experience with such "high-level events," said Zhang Xiaoning, tennis director for China's sports administration.

Paradorn said he looked forward to having another top-tier event in the region. The Thai sensation made history in April when he reached No. 10 on the ATP rankings, becoming the first Asian in the Top 10. He has since slipped to 11th place.

"I would be happy if I can play this tournament and win another tournament in Asia for Asian people," he said.

Safin, of Russia, said he'd do his part as well.

"We will try to do our best as tennis players and promote tennis and just enjoy the city and just make everything possible ... so you can prepare yourself for the Olympic Games," he said.

Safin, who won the U.S. Open in 2000, has fallen to No. 77 in the ATP world rankings after missing six months of this year due to a wrist injury.

Also competing in the China Open will be Carlos Moya of Spain, who won the 1998 French Open and is ranked No. 7 in the world, the organizers said.

More than 70 top players will compete in the China Open, with one or two slots in the main draw reserved for Chinese players who won't have to go through the qualifying draw, Zhang said.

Total prize money for the China Open will be about US$500,000, Zhang said, though he didn't have a breakdown of how much would go to the tournament winners.