CRI听力:The History of Shanghai Masters

Beginning in 2009, the Shanghai Rolex Masters was created to be the flagship tournament of the Asian swing on the ATP Tour schedule. This is due in large part to the success of past tournaments held in Shanghai.

Tennis director of the Shanghai Rolex Masters Michael Luevano points to this, as one of the reasons the tournament has been so successful.

"The standard was already there so we just translated that what we had already been through for five years into a broader scope. You're encompassing many more players and a more traditional style of tournament. We expanded our facilities are improving players hospitality and that's really made the difference, because we have such a deep experience with the Masters Cup that's went into the Masters series and is why we've been so strong."

Now the tournament began taking shape in April of 2007 when the ATP World Tour and Shanghai sealed the deal that awarded the city ownership of the event.
At that time, it was presented to the public in late 2008, as the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 presented by Rolex. However, after its inaugural year it was rebranded, becoming the "Shanghai Rolex Masters"

It was established by both the ATP and the Chinese Tennis Association as a way to grow the sport in China and grow on successful past tournaments in Shanghai. The tournament has not disappointed, as it has seen a lot of success and growth. As it's been named the best tournament on tour, outside of the four grand slams, by the players in it's first three years.

General Manager of Bright Public Relations, the company running PR for the tournament, George Wei points to several key factors as to why Shanghai is the best tournament.
 
"The reason why Shanghai has been selected by all the players as the best ATP 1000 Masters. That is because the atmosphere, the great fans and the media sport as well as the hospitality to all the players. All these factors contribute to why we can be selected as the best event."

The event came to be after previous tournaments in Shanghai achieved wide-spread success. The first event held here was the Shanghai Open, which took place in 1996. Two years later it became the Heineken Open, which lasted until 2004.

During that time, Shanghai was awarded the Masters Cup in 2002 and because of the success it saw the ATP gave the event back to Shanghai for another three years, beginning in 2005 and ending in 2008.

Because of the success of these past tournaments the ATP awarded Shanghai one of the best tournaments in the world. Tournament director Luevano says they've come along way in fifteen years.

"It's uNPRecedented in tennis to have leap frogged from the Heineken tournament, which was actually a very small level tour event to staging five Masters cups. And then to the Masters series level, which we have won the best Masters series in the world the last three years running. So were doing something right and I think it's kind of like China you leap frog over these various milestones that sometimes take 10, 20 30 years. We've done it in fifteen."

Luevano adds that hopefully the 2012 edition can live up to previous editions of the Master tournament and it can continue to get better each and every year.
 
For CRI, I'm Nate Schlabach, reporting from the Shanghai Masters.