China Open is a tennis tournament staged at Beijing in China. The tournament is part of both the Association of Tennis Professional or ATP Tour and the Women's Tennis Association or WTA Tour . The tournament was started in 1993. Then the event was called Beijing Salem Open , for the sponsorship of Salem Cigarette. After the 1997 tournament, the event has been named the China Open . Women's tournament was included in the schedule in 2004. At present, singles and doubles tournaments of men and women are held during China Open .
China Open is generally scheduled in September, which lasts for two weeks. Men's tournament is held in the first week, which is followed by the women's tournament. China Open is played on hardcourt. The 2007 China Open men's tournament is scheduled between September 10 and September 16. The format followed during the China Open is 32 draws format. Prize money offered for men's tournament is $500,000. Women's tournament at China Open is going to be held from September 17, which is to be finished on September 23. Women's tournament is also going to be held on outdoor hardcourt. Prize money to be given away to the winner of the women's tournament during the 2007 China Open is $600,000.
China Open has been held regularly since 1993, when it was introduced to the tennis world. Michael Chang was the winner of the first three men's singles tournaments from 1993. Paul Annacone and Doug Flach won the doubles title in 1993. In the 2006 China Open,
Marcos Baghdatis won the men's singles title, while
Mahesh Bhupathi and Mario Ancic won the doubles tournament. Tommy Ho,
Greg Rusedski ,
Jim Courier ,
Rafael Nada l and Justin Gimelstob are some of the other renowned winner of
China Open .
Women's tournament has been held at the China Open since 2004. Women's singles during the 2004 tournament was won by Serena Williams , while Emmanuelle Gagliardi and Dinara Safina won the doubles title, in the 2006 tournament, the doubles was won by Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez . Svetlana Kuznetsova won the women's singles during the 2006 China Open.
