Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and more get a boost from ‘very passionate’ Chinese fans

WUHAN, China—As the tennis calendar makes its way through the Asian swing, worn-out players are getting an energy boost at the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open, thanks to the famously passionate sports fans in China.

Players at the China Open in Beijing and in Wuhan have been feeling the love from enthusiastic tennis lovers, who regularly shower players with unique gifts like personalized plush toys, elaborate banners and dedicated fan art—even for Western players, much to their delight.

“Honestly, it’s the place I’ve come [where] I’ve gotten the most gifts,” said 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff. “You’ll get bracelets from some fans in the U.S.

“In the U.S. and here, I think, I get the most gifts. But here, you can tell they really take time to give you the gifts and see what you like. They know I like stuffed animals, so I’ve gotten a lot of those.”

For two-time Wuhan champion Aryna Sabalenka—dubbed an “old friend” of Wuhan by Chinese media after winning back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019—that means a lot of tiger-themed presents.

The 26-year-old has a tiger tattoo on her forearm, which is both a nod to her fighting spirit and the fact that she was born in the Year of the Tiger (1998) on the Chinese Zodiac, a detail that has endeared her to tennis followers in the region over the years.

“My favorite [gift] so far is the tiger hat. It’s so funny and so cool. I kept it. It’s in my bag,” confirmed Sabalenka, whose nickname in China is ‘Tiger Girl.’

“Also I have a big fan since I don’t know how many years—probably since my first visit to China—and she brought me a huge bucket with a lot of little gifts,” she added. “There was gifts for my team. She signed every gift. ‘This is for Jason [Stacy, Sabalenka’s physio]. Thank you so much for being the best team in the world.’ It was so cute and nice. I love this kind of stuff.”

But what do globe-trotting tennis players do with said buckets full of gifts? Traveling week in and week out with loads of luggage, gear and maybe a trophy or two, it’s already a logistical exercise to get from Point A to Point B even before factoring in extra pounds of keepsakes.

While it’s not always possible to hang onto every fan gift, many players are eager to hang on to as many as they can—keychains with stuffed animals become a new permanent accessories on racquet bags, for example—and the bulkiest items may get shipped home.