Discover Shanghai·Sports Landmark Season 2
Second stop: Xianxia Tennis Center
Kangdong Tennis Hall
Freeze sports landmarks and leave moving stories behind. The Shanghai Local Chronicle Office, in conjunction with Shanghai Sports and People’s Daily Online Shanghai Channel, launches the “Discover Shanghai·Sports Landmarks” column, using images to show the diverse stories behind Shanghai’s sports and cultural landmarks. Previously, we have taken you to experience the speed and passion of the Shanghai International Circuit, walked through the long history of Jiangwan Stadium, witnessed the openness and inclusiveness of the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Oriental Sports Center, listened to the legendary stories of the Hongkou Football Stadium, and walked through the blossoming flowers. We met at the Sports Building when we were in full bloom.
The second season of the sports landmark exploration tour is about to start. We will continue to take you to many sports venues in Shanghai, travel through ancient and modern times with the camera, feel the sports culture, and trace historical memories. In the encounter with Shanghai sports culture landmarks, Approach Shanghai and discover Shanghai.
From the professional competitive level to the amateur tennis level, Shanghai Tennis has always been a force that cannot be ignored in the Chinese tennis world. In the second stop of this season’s Discover Shanghai·Sports Landmarks tour, we take you into the oasis of urban tennis in Shanghai—Xianxia Tennis Center and Kangdong Tennis Hall.
Shanghai,
a city of tennis
Tennis is an elegant and passionate ball game that originated in England in the 19th century. In 1843, Shanghai opened as a port, and the “imported” sport of tennis also entered China. According to “Shanghai Sports Chronicle”, as early as 1874 (the 13th year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty), there was the Shanghai Racquetball Association, also known as the Shanghai Tennis Association. By 1911 (the third year of Xuantong in the Qing Dynasty), the Shanghai Lawn Tennis Federation was born, commonly known as the “Western Federation”.
In 1951, the first tennis team in New China was established, named “Shanghai United Tennis Team”. In 1954, the National Sports Commission established the national tennis team in Beijing. The first batch of eight players were all from Shanghai. There are Wu Shengkang, Mei Fuki and Zhu Zhenhua, the “Three Tennis Masters” in Shanghai in the 1950s. In 1959, at the Polish International Tennis Invitational Tournament, Mephoki and Zhu Zhenhua collaborated in doubles and became the first Chinese athlete combination to win the championship in an international tennis competition.
In 2002, a milestone occurred: Shanghai held the Shanghai Tennis Masters Cup for the first time. This event, one of the highest-level and highest-level tennis events in the world, can be said to be a watershed in the development of Shanghai tennis and plays a vital role in promoting tennis in Shanghai and even the country.
Seven years later, the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000, the highest level tour event in the international men’s professional tennis world, was held in Shanghai, second only to the four Grand Slams in scale. Shanghai not only became the first city in Asia to host the ATP 1000 Masters, but also permanently has the right to host the ATP 1000 Masters. In 2023, the event will be upgraded to the Super Masters, and the competition time will be extended from 9 days to 14 days. The 2024 Shanghai Tennis Masters coincides with the National Day, and more than 20,000 spectators attend the game every day. It can be said that the Tennis Masters has become Shanghai’s business card.
Xianxia Tennis Center
Xianxia Tennis Center, located at No. 1885 Hongqiao Road, Changning District, has a deep connection with Shanghai tennis. Xianxia Tennis Center is a large-scale, well-equipped modern competitive tennis court, consisting of a main venue and four high-standard outdoor tennis courts that meet the needs of professional competitions. According to the “Shanghai Sports Yearbook (1998)”, Xianxia Tennis Center covers an area of 19,950 square meters and a construction area of 6,642 square meters. Construction started in October 1996 and was completed in August 1997. The internal equipment is complete, and the central competition venue can accommodate about 4,000 spectators and can hold various tennis matches. After its completion, the tennis competition of the Eighth National Games was held here.
In 1998, Shanghai held its first international tennis event, the Heineken Tennis Open, and Xianxia Tennis Center became the venue. From the Heineken Tennis Open to the Shanghai Tennis Masters, Xianxia Tennis Center has witnessed the origin of Shanghai’s international tennis events. It has also become the first coordinate point in the memory of many Chinese tennis fans.
In April 2001, the central competition court was covered with a steel structure that can open the movable roof, making Xianxia Tennis Center a first-class tennis court in China. To this day, Xianxia Tennis Center is still a treasured place for citizen sports and Shanghai tennis events.
Kangdong Tennis Hall
In Shanghai, when it comes to tennis, Shanghai player Zhang Zhizhen, the “Big Brother” in Chinese tennis, is a household name. When talking about Zhang Zhizhen, we have to mention Kangdong Tennis Hall – this venue carries the ideals and sweat of Shanghai professional tennis players, and also witnesses the pride and growth of Shanghai tennis. According to “Shanghai Sports Chronicle (1978-2010)”, Shanghai Kangdong Tennis Hall is located at No. 270 Pubei Road, Xuhui District. It was completed at the end of 1997 and covers an area of about 12,000 square meters. There are professional courts for tennis hard courts and clay courts. It is one of the few professional sports venues in Shanghai that has clay tennis courts.
The biggest difference between clay and hard courts is that the ball bounces higher and the ball speed is slower, providing a different experience for tennis enthusiasts. The daily maintenance requirements of clay courts are relatively high, and professional maintenance and upkeep of the courts are required on a regular basis to ensure that the surface of the court maintains sufficient elasticity.
This place not only carries the dreams of countless tennis enthusiasts, but also witnesses the vigorous development of tennis in Shanghai. Whether you are a professional player or an amateur, you can feel the passion and happiness brought by tennis. Tennis is not only a sport, but also represents a way of pursuing excellence and enjoying life. Perhaps this is one of the qualities of the city of Shanghai.
next stop
We will take you to China’s first
It is also the only one in the world located in
In the center of an international first-tier city
Complying with the standards of top international equestrian events
Permanent professional equestrian sports venue——
Shanghai International Equestrian Center
Let’s take a look at this place
“Equestrian Valley” where people are walking and horses are playing
How fascinating
This article was first published by the official WeChat account of “Shanghai Sports”
Part of the picture: United Cup
Original title: “Discover Shanghai·Sports Landmarks | These two urban tennis oases are waiting for you to explore! 》
Read the original article
