Nadal, 7 Slam Finalists at ATP China Open

Rafael Nadal and six other Grand Slam winners or runner-ups feature this week on the hardcourts at the China Open in Beijing, with the new sugardaddy of men's tennis doling out the appearance money in the lead-up to the year-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai.

Joining the pirate-pantsed Spaniard among the seeds are Guillermo Coria, David Nalbandian, Thomas Johansson, Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Mikhail Youzhny, and Spanish former No. 1s Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya.

Opening-round match-ups of interest are (1) Nadal vs. Taipei's Yeu-Tzuoo Wang who is coming off two Challenger runner-up efforts, (6) Ferrero vs. Korean Hyung-Taik Lee, (8) Moya vs. Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, and (4) Thomas Johansson vs. (WC) Jonas Bjorkman in an all-Swedish match-up.

In last year's final Marat Safin, currently out of action with a knee injury, defeated Youzhny in straight sets.

The China Open was added again to the ATP calendar last year after a run from 1993-97.

On court Monday are Wessels vs. Arthurs, (8) Moya vs. Srichaphan, H.-T. Lee vs. (6) Ferrero, Heuberger vs. Koubek, and Burgsmuller vs. Tursunov.