Stars of tennis to make Expo appearances

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Stars of tennis to make Expo appearances

Source: Global Times
[08:52 August 31 2010]
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Manuel Salchli (right), director of the Switzerland Pavilion, and Jiang Lan, secretary-general of the organization committee of the 2010 Shanghai Rolex Masters. Photo: Global Times

By Duan Wuning

Tennis fans at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai could get a glimpse of the pros taking part in the 2010 Shanghai Rolex Masters tennis tournament, as players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are being invited to the Expo.

A program dubbed "Visit Expo with Tennis Masters" was announced by organizers of the Expo and the tennis tournament Monday, and will see players take time out to visit the pavilions of their respective countries and meet with fans who have registered at the tournament's website.

The home nations of players taking part - Argentina, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and the UK - will also put on displays at the tournament, which takes place from October 9 to 17 at Shanghai Qizhong Tennis Center in Minhang district.

"We are very excited to join this program and it's a good chance to showcase our culture outside the Expo Park," said Annika Rembe, commissioner general of the Swedish Committee for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

According to Manuel Salchli, director of the Switzerland Pavilion, Roger Federer may celebrate victories with fans in the pavilion. "It happened during the Beijing Olympics, after he won the game, he came and celebrated with fans," Salchli said.

"The players all showed great interest in participating in such events," said Jiang Lan, secretary general of the organization committee of the 2010 Shanghai Rolex Masters. "However, it's too early to determine details since anything could happen, for example injury and early elimination."

Shanghai began hosting the tournament in 2002, and soon after won the bid to host the World Expo 2010. "It contributed a lot to our successful bid for the Expo that year, and we decided to keep staging the tournament following that," Jiang said.