Original title: China Tennis Tour fierce battle in Changzhou
China Sports News reporter Ma Yiou
On October 30, Lu Jingjing, the top seed in women’s singles, took the lead in the China Tennis Tour CTA800 Changzhou Station. In the earliest match on the center court, she defeated Cao Yajing in two sets, 6-3 and 6-1. Wearing thick knee pads, Lu Jingjing took the first step in this competition.
This thick kneepad is Lu Jingjing’s signature equipment. Her biggest opponent in her tennis career is injuries. It’s hard to tell if in competitive sports, but Lu Jingjing was indeed burdened by injuries at a good age when she was striving for good results. Even so, her tennis resume remains strong. If she puts aside her obsession with competition and finds a job with a dazzling resume, her life will be easier and more comfortable than it is now. But Lu Jingjing said that this was her choice.
It is a blessing to have the right to choose in life, and it is not the same to have more choices in tennis. As a group of Chinese tennis players, there are now more and more choices.
In this year’s “China Season”, from ATP to WTA, many players have had the opportunity to participate in professional events in their home country, earning points, winning bonuses, and gaining experience. But it is undeniable that these are still a minority among tennis practitioners, and the pyramid-shaped structure of tennis talents requires that there must be a sufficient professional foundation, so that it is possible to truly become a strong country in tennis while keeping the east from the west. Because of this, challenge matches and hope matches outside the spotlight, including the China Tennis Tour, provide opportunities for a wider range of players.
When she comes to Changzhou this time, one of Lu Jingjing’s goals is to gain more points and strive to participate in the China Tour Professional Year-end Finals and National Tennis Championships held in Macau.
Lu Jingjing admitted frankly that the China Tour is not easy to play. With her rich experience and reputation, she is also the target of young players. Especially when grabbing 10 in the third set of the game, the chance was further increased. If Lu Jingjing wants to achieve better results, she needs to face the impact of many young players, including No. 2 seed Zou Ruirui, who leads the other half.
The China Tour is very attractive to young players. If you play against experienced players, it will be very helpful to improve your own game feel and experience. Zou Ruirui mentioned the rewards when talking about her past experiences with several big players. Their playing temperament impressed her deeply and she learned a lot from her sisters.
For young players to grow up, they need to accumulate a lot of games. Participating in competitions abroad can allow athletes to get more training. Zou Ruirui participated in more ITF competitions this year, which is also a big expense. The prize money for the women’s singles champion in this China Tour is 30,000 yuan. For professional tennis, the prize money is naturally the fuel on this road.
Lu Jingjing, born in 1989, was once a member of the Chinese women’s tennis team, and Zou Ruirui, born in 2006, stood out in the “Selection Plan” of the Chinese Tennis Association. They are both outstanding players of the same age group. One is stubbornly insisting on The obsession of professional players, a dream and a longing for the future. What they value most when they come to participate in this tournament is different, but being able to appear on the field shows the value of the game.
The top two seeded players are 17 years apart, which is exactly the same as this year’s Grand Slam men’s singles classic battle. Whether “Jingrui” can meet in the final has become an interesting topic in the Changzhou competition.
