Fancy watching tennis on Christmas Day? Muchova, Rublev, Ruud and Nishikori set for Macau Tennis Masters exhibition

A usual precursor to the Australian Tennis season is the Macau Tennis Masters ran by MGM and led this year by icons Li Na and Michael Chang as team captains but it will be on December 24-25 paying credence to the fact that there is tennis constantly being played.

Karolina Muchova is already in China ready to play, she answered a Q&A on her story whilst travelling and posted a video of herself filming out the window when asked where to in terms of her flight and then a picture of herself practicing on the grey court in Macau.

She plays mixed doubles with Andrey Rublev on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, it will be a singles tie against Xinyu Wang. Lorenzo Musetti was due to play in the exhibition but has had to withdraw so Kei Nishikori takes his spot.

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He will face Casper Ruud on Day One with Rublev who is currently in the UAE playing in the World Tennis League set to face Juncheng Shang who was poor at the Next Gen ATP Finals and retired injured against Alex Michelsen. But he is currently slated to face Rublev and then play mixed doubles with Xinyu Wang.

For many, this is perhaps a bit extreme to play on Christmas but also shows the need for match practice that this period provides.

Muchova for instance mainly due to injury has not played since China and of course wasn't involved in either WTA or in the end Billie Jean King Cup Finals so will aim to use this not to go in cold. Whilst there is a need to celebrate the holidays, many are instead looking to practice and get ready in what is more and more a truncated off season.

Schedule MGM Macau Tennis Masters

24 December

Captain's Challenge

Men's Singles - Casper Ruud v Kei Nishikori

Men's Singles - Andrey Rublev v Juncheng Shang

Mixed Doubles - Juncheng Shang/ Xinyu Wang v Andrey Rublev / Karolina Muchova

25 December

Captain's Challenge

Women's Singles - Xinyu Wang v Karolina Muchova

Men's Singles - Casper Ruud v Andrey Rublev

Men's Singles - Juncheng Shang v Kei Nishikori