Read & Watch: Fritz & Sandgren Drop Racquets For Dumplings In Chengdu

Americans Taylor Fritz and Tennys Sandgren swapped their racquets for chef hats on Monday before starting their Chengdu Open campaigns, celebrating the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival by testing their culinary skills.

Under the guidance of chef Rodrigo Martinez Munoz, the ATP World Tour competitors tried their hand at making tang yuen, a dessert dumpling, at the Yan Ting restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel Chengdu.

“It was quite difficult making this specialty dessert dish, but really a lot of fun,” Sandgren said. “Cooking is interesting, but I don’t think I’m very good at it. Besides I travel a lot, so I usually just order take-out.”

Yet when the compatriots — who used fillings like custard, black sesame, sweet potato and matcha — were challenged to a contest to see who could create the sweet dumplings quicker, it was the 27-year-old who came out on top.

“I don’t have much time to learn cooking but I think, maybe, I might be good at it,” Fritz said. “They said Tennys won but I really think it’s up for discussion.”

After a fun session, the players will return their focus to the tennis court, where they might get a rematch in a setting they’re more familiar with. If No. 8 seed Sandgren beats Mikhail Kukushkin and Fritz defeats Chun Hsin Tseng, the pair will battle again, but on the court rather than in the kitchen.