Hey there, fellow tennis enthusiasts It’s your girl Mia Johnson-Carter here, living the dream in Miami. I’m super excited to share some awesome news with you all about the recent China Open tournament. Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff, two of the young superstars in tennis, recently took home the titles at the China Open, and their journey was filled with some fascinating cultural experiences.
Before the start of this year’s China Open, Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff took time to explore the Chinese capital. They made a visit to the Forbidden City, dressed in traditional clothing, which turned out to be a lucky charm for both of them. Alcaraz defeated rival and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the longest men’s singles match (3:21) in China Open history, while Gauff followed suit by defeating Karolina Muchova in straight sets.
When asked in Sunday’s trophy ceremony by tournament emcee Dong Wang about the visit and told “perhaps it was meant to be that way,” Gauff said, “Carlos and I both went to the Forbidden City earlier this week and some one in press told me that it was going to bring me luck. And I said I don’t know, I don’t want to jinx it. Then Carlos won but at that time it was only the round of 16 for me. Yeah, I guess the Imperial Palace brought us luck and maybe I will pay a visit again next year and get the same luck.”
Alcaraz shared his experience during his pre-tournament press conference: “It was a great experience being there. I couldn’t go around much last year. For me, it’s great to see the culture here in China, see different things. Being there [in the Forbidden City] was a great experience for me. I’m really happy to be back here again in Beijing.”