Amateur tennis players turn up in Shanghai for the ITF Masters

The ITF World Tennis Masters Tour is hosting the MT200 grassroots tournament in Shanghai’s Baoshan District with 400 players, including those from 16 nations and regions.

The Masters Tour was launched in 2022 for amateurs aged 30 to 90. According to the organizers, around 16 percent of the players are from overseas.

Participants are grouped into eight age groups for men’s and women’s singles and doubles, as well as mixed doubles.

Except for the finals, the competition uses a “trust system” in which players form their agreements on points and results, with the referee just assisting in clarifying rule minutiae, demonstrating the sport’s fair and elegant quality.

Ti Gong

“There are many players over the age of 55, including retired professionals,” said chief referee Jia Wei.

“I myself used to be a member of the Shanghai tennis team,” he said. “Tennis is a lifelong hobby for me. Shanghai’s tennis population has grown significantly over the years.”

Yulia Haritonova, a Russian player, used to compete in ITF young challenge competitions as a teenager. She now runs a tennis school in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

Ti Gong

“Shanghai has world-class tournaments like the Rolex Shanghai Masters, as well as many beautiful tennis courts,” she said.

“I’m here to compete, and also learn from others.”

The event culminates on Friday, with the victors earning 200 points and the opportunity to compete in higher-level competitions around the world.

The ITF World Tennis Masters Tour plans to organize its first MT400 event in Shanghai in the second half of the year.