Many of the world's top-ranked tennis players will soon find their own “paradise on earth” – the Chinese capital's five-star Shangri-La Hotel, which will host approximately 300 men and women players in the first-ever China Open tournament at the new state-of-art Beijing Tennis Centre, September 10 – 26.

Among the players will be the 2004 Wimbledon ladies' champion, Russian teenager Maria Sharapova; Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and China's own Zheng Jie. Male players will include former US Open champion Marat Safin; former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, and other high-ranking players.

To accommodate fans traveling to Beijing for the Open, the 528-room hotel is offering packages that feature the best seats at the Open, carefully programmed transportation service and an opportunity for guests to stay and dine in the same hotel as the players. 

The hotel's 800 staff members are currently undergoing special training to fulfill the exacting preferences of the players, from dietary requirements, exercise programmes, gym necessities and specialized massage to extra laundry services, and many other requirements not often sought by business guests and leisure travellers.

“We are very pleased to designate the Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing as the Official Hotel of the China Open,” says Tournament Director Lincoln Venancio. “With Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing's reputation for the highest quality service, combined with its recent multi-million dollar refurbishment, we are confident that the players and significant number of celebrities attending the event will experience 'Beijing at its best.'”

“We fully appreciate the organizers' ambition for the China Open to become one of the world's top five tennis tournaments and Asia's premier sports event,” says Hotel General Manager George Wee.  “We are committed to contributing to that goal by delivering our trademark Shangri-La service and hospitality to the China Open players and guests”.

China Open contestant Carlos Moya of Spain, ranked fourth in the world, is excited at the prospect of his Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing stay.  “I understand that this hotel has hosted many of the world's top dignitaries such as former Russian President Boris Yeltsin; former British Prime Minister John Major; and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. I am sure they will also take equally good care of us.”