This month, the tennis world has descended on China, giving fans a chance to cheer on some of the sport’s biggest stars.
Chinese audiences are known for bestowing playful nicknames on their favorite players, often punning on the Chinese transliteration of their names.
The practice works especially well because Chinese is rich in homophones, allowing for a wide array of witty and cheeky double meanings.
The world No. 1 may have modeled for Louis Vuitton and Calvin Klein, but in China, Alcaraz is named for a creature not exactly known for its looks – the duck-billed platypus.
Fans say his facial features, especially his mouth, resemble that of the Australian mammal. For short, he is simply known as “Duck.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion also has an ornithological nickname, “Chicken,” or “De Ji” in Chinese. While it may sound unflattering, Djokovic might find its origin more flattering than Alcaraz’s nickname.
It was coined years ago when the now 38-year-old was at the peak of his powers. In Chinese, the phrase “hot chicken” is used to describe a new sensation. The sound “De Ji” also mimics the “DJ” at the beginning of the tennis star’s surname.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has several nicknames in China. “China’s Daughter” comes from her impressive performances in the country, as well as her popularity with fans.
“Tiger Girl” is based not just on her aggressive style of play but also on the fact she was born in 1998, the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac. She also sports a tiger tattoo on her arm.
She is also known as the “Fried Rice Queen” for her love of the dish, which she has jokingly said gives her power.
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek is known as “Silk Socks” because “si wa” in Mandarin sounds like the “Swia” at the beginning of her surname.
China Open champion Amanda Anisimova is called “Medicine Sister” because the beginning of her surname, Anisimo, sounds similar to the Chinese word for the antibiotic amoxicillin.
Madison Keys is known as “Key Sister,” the literal translation of her surname.
The United States’ 31-year-old Jessica Pegula is called “Dafu,” which translates to “Big Rich” in Chinese.
Fans refer to her 24-year-old compatriot Emma Navarro as the Chinese equivalent of “Second Rich,” a nod to the billionaire families of both players.
Medvedev is known as “Prime Minister” because he shares a surname with former Russian premier Dmitry Medvedev.
World No. 3 Alexander Zverev is nicknamed after a princess in a popular Chinese TV drama. Her name, “Ziwei,” sounds similar to the transliteration of his surname.
No longer an active player but still beloved in China – and set to play an exhibition match at the Shanghai Masters on Friday – Federer is affectionately known as “Cow.”
The moniker stems from a Swiss tournament twice gifting him one of the animals: Juliette in 2003 and Desiree in 2013. Fans also say his personality – gentle and mellow – mirrors that of a cow.
