Attendance at the China Open has risen steadily over the years, making the competition a staple on the men's and women's tours. But a chance to sit back and watch the action is only one of the reasons that fans keep flocking to the nation's capital.

The phrase "holiday in China" tends to conjure up images of walking along the Great Wall, or perhaps exploring ancient temples. But in recent years a new tradition has been spinning its way to the forefront during the country's National Day and October Golden Week - heading to Beijing and cheering on some of the world's best tennis players.

And many of the individuals making their way to the China Open have come to view the tournament as more than a time to take in some top-tier tennis tussles.

"The environment, the structure, and everything is much better in China than what we have in France now. The only thing in France, we've played tennis since maybe 200 years ago, but in China, it is maybe less time - a lot less time. So that's why we have some very strong programs for the kids, that's why we came with 12 French coaches into China to try something very big and to maybe have the next number one in the world," said Nabil Badek, a youth tennis coach.

Larger audiences flocking to the National Tennis Center also means better business.

"There are a lot of people buying rackets. The number has been increasing in the past few years. I think people now are more likely to accept sports as a way of life,” said Wang Baolong, a tennis equipment vendor.

From interactive demonstrations to mementos and souvenirs, to opportunities to step on the court, keeping the audience engaged is the name of the game while the ATP and WTA tours push through the heart of their Autumn Asian Swing.