Top tennis aces and legions of fans have descended on Shanghai for the 2026 Shanghai Rolex Masters which officially kicked off on Monday, with the tournament serving up a city-wide tennis celebration that is driving tourism and consumption across the east China metropolis.
As the only elite-level 'ATP Masters 1000' event in the entire Asia-Pacific region, the tournament has attracted a series of big name stars including grand slam winners Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, while Chinese players including Bu Yunchaokete, Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing will hope to delight the home crowds.
With the event landing towards the end of China's week-long National Day holiday celebrations, the spectator demand has soared, with tickets for the first day of qualifying on Monday being sold out two days in advance.
The high level of competition has attracted large numbers of fans from home and abroad to enjoy the action at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.
"We live nearby and my child and wife are both interested in tennis, so we came to have a look. The atmosphere is really good, and we plan to come back for the main draw," said a local visitor.
"I saw this tournament is here so I want to come here. Even though these are qualification games -- I was seeing one game now -- it was a really good atmosphere," said Rami, a tourist from Finland.
The tournament will run through to Oct. 18, but beyond watching matches, spectators can also enjoy a whole host of immersive experiences both inside and outside the venue.
For the first time, organizers have launched the Qizhong Carnival, featuring a retro tennis market, amateur tennis events and a pet-friendly zone. It has also introduced ticket-stub benefits that allow fans to enjoy discounts across the city.
A variety of merchandise is also on offer, with themed pendants, fridge magnets, towels, hats and bags all proving a hit with fans looking to take home a cherished memento.
To make the experience smoother for international visitors, the venue's popular souvenir shop has added on-site tax refund services with self-service machines set up on-site. These allow tourists to claim refunds immediately without going to the airport.
"I think it's really cool and the souvenir store has a lot of interesting things to see. I think there's really actually a lot of cool things to buy here. I just bought a towel. It's super convenient [to pay with] just only a phone. No need to carry cash, no need to carry coins. [It's] super convenient and the service [is] always very nice," said Anna, a Russian tourist.
Alongside the thrilling matches taking place on court and the entertainment options at the wider venue, organizers have launched a series of activities all across the city, giving a further boost to consumption during the National Day holiday.
These include a 'check-in' stamp-collection challenge at nearly two dozen destinations, interactive games along the iconic Huangpu River, and a tennis-themed electronic music party at the newly-developed Longhua Wharf, ensuring the carnival atmosphere runs late into the night.
Shanghai Masters serves up city-wide tennis festival as off-court activities draw fans
