Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Michael Luevano, who along with his business partner and ATP World Tour board member Charles H. Smith, has turned Shanghai into one of the major ports of call on the worldwide tennis trail and is currently tournament director of the Shanghai Rolex Masters, has been honored with the Chinese city’s highest award for the second time.

The Magnolia Gold Award bestowed for outstanding contribution to Shanghai’s social and economic development. “While this is a personal honor, I believe it also distinguishes and highlights the contributions made by the Shanghai Rolex Masters to this incredible city as the biggest tennis event and one of the most important sporting events in Asia,” said Luevano who was also presented with the award in 2012.

“I am deeply appreciative and humbled to receive this Shanghai Magnolia Award and I am very proud that the committee believed I was worthy of this honor once more.”

Luevano received award at a ceremony at Shanghai’s City Hall from Mayor Yang Xiong. This year’s Shanghai Rolex Masters main draw, the seventh since the event became a member of the ATP World Tour’s Masters 1000 following its’ staging of the Tennis Masters Cup (the forerunner of the ATP World Tour Finals), begins a week on Monday.

The Shanghai Municipal Government presents the Magnolia Award each year, with the first award ceremony dating back to 1989. A committee determines a shortlist of potential recipients, which is then approved by the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office.

In addition to his two Magnolia Awards, Luevano was also presented with the US Congressional Recognition as a Benefactor Honoree for his charity work in Southern California.

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.