HSBC Is Now the China Open's Presenting Partner, Right as the Tournament Turns 20
The China Open has a new presenting partner heading into its 20th edition. HSBC announced the deal in Beijing back in June, and with the tournament starting in just two days, it's worth understanding exactly what this partnership actually involves.
The Deal Itself
HSBC becomes the Presenting Partner of the China Open starting this year, a milestone tied directly to the tournament's 20th edition since its founding in 2004. The China Open is Asia's largest and most prestigious combined international tennis event, its women's tournament is a WTA 1000 mandatory event, the tour's top tier outside the four majors, while the men's event is China's only ATP 500 tournament. This year the tournament also adds the ITF MT400, a Masters-level international amateur event, expanding its structure from elite professionals down to top amateur players.
Brendan Nelson, HSBC's Group Chairman, framed the deal around the bank's long history in the country: "HSBC is proud to become the Presenting Partner for the China Open, one of the most important combined ATP and WTA tournaments in the world... For 161 years, HSBC and China have moved forward together." Feng Jian, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal People's Government, called the partnership "a powerful alliance between a world-class financial brand and a leading sports IP, mutually empowering both sides."
Why Now, and Why This Scale
The timing lines up with real strategic ambition on the tournament's side. In April 2026, the China Open unveiled a long-term plan explicitly aiming to become "the leading tennis event in Asia and a top-tier global tournament." Landing a partner the size of HSBC, a bank with $3.306 trillion in assets as of this past March, and one of the largest international financial investors operating in mainland China, is a meaningful step toward that ambition, not just a new logo on the scoreboard.
The relationship also has real history behind it. Bi Yong, Director and General Manager of Beijing Capital Group, which operates the tournament, noted that Beijing Capital Group and HSBC have worked together since 2004, a 22-year relationship now extending into tennis specifically. HSBC has also been active in Chinese sport more broadly for over two decades, supporting golf, badminton, and tennis at both professional and grassroots levels.
What This Signals
A tournament turning 20 landing a presenting partner of HSBC's scale, timed to a stated goal of reaching true global top-tier status, is a clear signal of where the China Open sees itself heading. With the tournament running September 13 through October 11, this partnership will be front and center from the very first ball struck.
Jake Scudder
Journalist – topics of tennis
