TENN360 | THE FAN'S GUIDE TO THE TOUR
tennis is more than the score.
CHENGDU OPEN
Tour
ATP
Date of event
22-28 Sep 2027
Location
Chengdu
Surface
Hard outdoor
Singles Title
A Fokina
Doubles Title
J Zieliński/L Johnson
Level
250
TENN360 INSIGHT:
Chengdu is one of those tournaments that quietly makes you wonder why you hadn't considered it before.
The Chengdu Open has a proper tennis home at the Sichuan International Tennis Center, with a sizeable centre court, two substantial secondary courts and enough practice courts to make the place feel like a genuine tennis campus rather than a stadium that happens to host a tournament.
But then there is Chengdu itself.
This is one of China's most relaxed and food-obsessed cities, famous for Sichuan cuisine, tea houses and, naturally, pandas. The tournament has also embraced local culture, with players previously being taken to experience things such as kung fu during tournament week.
So you get a proper ATP event, followed by some of the best food you are ever likely to eat.
Honestly, that's a fairly persuasive combination.
For the big matches, I'd choose a side-on seat reasonably close to the court in the centre court.
The main stadium seats 6,346 spectators, which is big enough to create a proper atmosphere without becoming so enormous that the players start looking like tiny moving dots.
If you can choose between a lower sideline position and a very high seat, I'd take the lower sideline every time.
But don't ignore the two 2,000-seat secondary courts.
These are where Chengdu gets interesting. A much smaller crowd means you can get considerably closer to the tennis, and you may end up watching a very good ATP match from a distance that would cost considerably more at a Grand Slam.
My ideal day would probably involve one centre-court match and then a couple of excursions to the smaller courts.
You didn't fly all the way to Chengdu to sit in exactly the same chair all day.
Very good.
The scale of the venue works in your favour.
There are numerous practice courts within the tennis centre, and fans have been able to get close enough to players for autograph opportunities. Juncheng Shang was photographed signing autographs for fans after a match at the tournament, while Lorenzo Musetti was also seen doing the same after a 2025 match.
The ATP itself recommends practice sessions as one of the best opportunities for fans hoping to get an autograph or photograph with a player.
So if player access is high on your list, I'd arrive early, find out where the practice sessions are happening and pay attention to the players rather than just the scoreboard.
And yes, bring the autograph pen.
I'd go if you like proper tennis tournaments with a bit of character.
This isn't a Grand Slam trying to entertain tens of thousands of people at once. It feels much more like a tennis event built around the sport itself.
I'd particularly recommend it if you're combining the tournament with a trip around China.
Chengdu is an excellent destination in its own right, and the tournament gives you a very good excuse to visit.
I'd also go if you enjoy watching players who aren't necessarily the household names yet. ATP 250 events can be brilliant for discovering someone before they become a regular fixture on the biggest courts.
And if you're hungry, obviously.
Very hungry.
I'd make this a tennis-and-city trip, rather than flying to Chengdu solely for the tennis.
The tournament venue is in Shuangliu, away from the centre of the city, so I'd give myself time to explore Chengdu on the days around the tennis rather than trying to squeeze everything into the same afternoon.
At the tournament, I'd arrive early and wander around before settling into the centre court.
The complex has eight outdoor practice courts and nine outdoor preliminary courts, so there is plenty of tennis happening beyond the headline matches.
And I'd absolutely make time for an evening meal in the city.
Come to Chengdu and eat Sichuan food?
That would be like going to Wimbledon and refusing strawberries.
Chengdu's climate is humid, and early autumn can still feel warm.
The tournament is played outdoors on hard courts, so for daytime sessions I'd prepare for heat even if the temperature doesn't look frightening on paper. The surrounding tennis centre is landscaped with plenty of trees, which is welcome when you are moving around the complex, but your actual seat may still be fully exposed.
If you have a choice, I'd favour an evening session when the worst of the heat has gone.
For daytime tennis:
Hat. Sunglasses. Sunscreen. Water.
And perhaps don't make your first match of the day a three-hour epic in full sunshine.
Your enthusiasm has limits.
This is the one part I'd plan properly.
The Sichuan International Tennis Center is in Shuangliu District, at No. 66 Jinhe Road, rather than in central Chengdu. The venue is around 8 km from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, which is useful if you're flying in specifically for the tournament.
I'd use a taxi or ride-hailing service rather than making the journey unnecessarily complicated.
The airport proximity is actually a bonus: if you're arriving by air, the tournament isn't miles away from your first or last stop.
Once you're at the complex, everything becomes considerably easier. The centre is designed as a dedicated tennis and sports campus, so the courts and supporting facilities are all together rather than scattered around the city.
I'd skip it if your idea of a perfect tennis tournament is being able to walk everywhere from a central hotel and never needing to think about transport.
The tennis centre is outside central Chengdu, so you'll need to plan the journey.
I'd also skip it if you're looking for the biggest possible field of household names. An ATP 250 can attract excellent players, but it isn't designed to guarantee the sort of star-studded line-up you'll get at a Masters 1000 or Grand Slam.
And if you're not interested in experiencing Chengdu itself, I'd question travelling a very long way just for a tournament that you could perhaps replace with a closer ATP 250.
For everyone else, though?
It's a rather good excuse for a trip.
Power in Numbers
28
Single Draws
6,000
Centre court seat
32
Courts