By Tennis Now | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Photo credit: MGM Macau Tennis Masters Facebook
Christmas in Macau will be a tennis celebration.
Captains Li Na (pictured above) and Michael Chang have selected their squads for the 2024 MGM Macau Tennis Masters, which will host Asia’s first mixed-gender team format tournament.
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The two-day exhibition event is set for December 24-25th. Li Na and Michael Chang each chose three standouts from the ATP and WTA Tours to their teams.
Team Li Na features rising Chinese stars Shang Juncheng and Wang Xinyu, alongside Norwegian Casper Ruud.
On the opposing side, Team Michael Chang stars Andrey Rublev, Karolina Muchova, and Lorenzo Musetti.
On Tuesday, December 24th, the action kicks off with the Captain’s Challenge at 1 pm and will be followed by the first men’s singles, in which Casper Ruud will take on Lorenzo Musetti. Their head-to-head record currently stands at 1-1, setting the stage for a fascinating battle.
That will be followed by Shang Juncheng facing off against 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 partners 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 head-to-head.
Next up will be another intriguing men’s singles encounter, as Casper Ruud faces Andrey Rublev. Their rivalry tilts in Rublev’s favor, with a head-to-head record of 5-3.
The final match of the event will be a blockbuster clash between Shang Juncheng and Lorenzo Musetti. Shang leads their tour-level series 1-0, having triumphed over the Italian in the Chengdu Open final earlier this year.
“I think it will be a tremendous few days at MGM Macau Tennis Masters, and I am really looking forward to it while trying to come up with a plan against Michael’s team,” Li Na said. “I’m excited to have two great Chinese players, Juncheng and Xinyu, on my side, and to have someone like Casper with us is going to be great.”
Chang, widely recognized during his playing days as one of the quickest thinkers on the court, will undoubtedly have his acumen tested in this unique format.
“We will be ready for whatever comes our way from Li Na and her team,” Michael…
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