HangzhouMay 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On May 16, the opening match of the 2026 Guo Jiao 1573 Australian Open Amateur Challenge kicked off at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Tennis Center. In the early summer, a tennis wave swept through Hangzhou. With high-standard competitive levels and an immersive viewing experience, the event once again built a bridge between amateur tennis and Grand Slam tournaments. The men’s and women’s singles championship trophies, symbols of the highest honor at the Australian Open, made a surprise appearance alongside Chinese professional tennis stars Wu Di and Bai Zhuoxuan, injecting tennis glory into the event.
2026 Guo Jiao 1573 Australian Open Amateur Challenge Hangzhou Opening Match
Shaun Moody, Director of Partnerships at Tennis Australia, and Chen Xuejun, Member of the Party Committee of Luzhou Laojiao Co., Ltd., attended the event, gathering with guests from all walks of life to participate in the opening ceremony and awards gala, witnessing the exciting start of the tournament.
Shaun Moody, Director of Partnerships at Tennis Australia
Glory Empowers, Passionate Start
As the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific region, the Australian Open is one of the world’s most beloved sports and entertainment events, with immense global influence. Data shows that in 2026, the Australian Open’s global broadcast time exceeded 780 million hours, with China ranking first in overseas viewing time, and the event’s total platform followers surpassing 6 million, fully demonstrating the vast tennis fan base and enthusiasm in the Chinese market.
This Australian Open Amateur Challenge Hangzhou opening match continued the tournament’s standards, creating a professional, high-level amateur tennis competition stage. At the opening ceremony, the Australian Open’s highest honor trophies—the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup and the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup—made a grand appearance, infusing the event with Grand Slam ceremony and allowing amateur players to experience the charm of tennis’s top honors up close. Meanwhile, Chinese tennis legend and pioneer Wu Di, along with rising star Bai Zhuoxuan, attended the event to support, showcasing the inheritance and breakthrough of Chinese tennis through the joint appearance of two generations of tennis players, helping competitors excel on the court and pursue their passion.
Carrying forward the core concept of the “Happy Grand Slam,” this event added an exhibition match segment, aiming to create a unique experience blending competition and entertainment for players. Two lucky pairs took the stage to engage in exciting tie-break duels with professional stars Wu Di and Bai Zhuoxuan, drawing continuous applause from the audience and allowing amateur players to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a professional court.
Left: Rising tennis star Bai Zhuoxuan, Right: Chinese tennis legend and pioneer Wu Di
Swinging to the Light, Conquering Hangzhou
After multiple rounds of fierce competition, pairs Zhang Jingxiao/Bao Ligao and Guo Tianliang/Li Tao successfully advanced to the elite group final. In the final, the two sides were evenly matched, with a tight scoreline, battling all the way to a decisive tie-break. Ultimately, Zhang Jingxiao/Bao Ligao secured a thrilling 4-3 (1) victory with steady performance at critical moments, claiming the elite group championship.
The champion and runner-up teams of the elite group both earned direct spots in the Guangzhou finals; the Chongde group also saw intense action, with Yu Fuming/Feng Miaoting winning the group title and securing a spot in the finals.
Elite group champion and runner-up teams earn direct spots in the Guangzhou finals
Deep Collaboration, Embarking on a New Journey
In October 2018, the Australian Open and Luzhou Laojiao, the highest-level Chinese partner in the tournament’s history, reached a long-term, stable, and deep strategic cooperation. Over the years, the two sides have joined forces and supported each other, continuously cultivating the Chinese tennis market, deeply blending excellent traditional Chinese culture with the competitive spirit of the Grand Slam, breaking down barriers, and creating high-quality amateur tennis events with international standards and local characteristics.
Building on years of cooperation, the 2026 Australian Open Amateur Challenge has been comprehensively optimized and upgraded, focusing on enhancing the experience for participants and fans. The newly launched Australian Open official mini-program, “Australian Open AO,” provides comprehensive digital services such as event information queries and real-time updates, creating an intelligent, integrated service system for players, further improving the event service ecosystem and demonstrating the long-term strategic layout of both sides in the Chinese market.
Exciting scenes from the Australian Open Amateur Challenge
The launch of this Hangzhou opening match not only kicked off the 2026 Guo Jiao 1573 Australian Open Amateur Challenge’s 24 nationwide events but also marked an important step in deepening the strategic cooperation between the Australian Open and Luzhou Laojiao. In the future, both sides will continue to use tennis as a bond and culture as a core, persistently writing a new chapter of collaboration.