This summer’s China tennis swing, featuring prestigious events like the China Open and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters, shattered records as the sport surges as one of the country’s most popular.
The success of Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen at Paris 2024, paired with her rapid rise through the WTA rankings, has placed tennis firmly in the spotlight. The new star of Chinese tennis also narrowly missed out on winning the WTA Finals in Riyadh, losing in three sets to Coco Gauff. Her surge of success is likely to keep the sport in the public eye for years to come.
Around 20 million people play tennis in China, placing the country second globally in tennis participation behind only the United States. China’s Tennis Administration Centre director, Bai Xilin is aiming for 10 players of each gender in the ATP and WTA top 100.
This groundswell of participation and Zheng’s success is paying off commercially. Record attendances, impressive ticket sales, increased sponsorship revenue, and a surge in merchandise purchases across China’s major tennis tournaments indicate growing fan engagement across the board.
It hasn’t been an easy road back to the top after a pandemic, but the country’s long-term investment in grassroots tennis is now starting to pay off. Patience and strategic planning have been key to the sport’s revitalisation, and China is seizing the opportunity with both hands.
The tournaments
September and October are perfect for tennis in China, as the weather is mild and the country celebrates its National Day holidays. This period has become synonymous with the China Tennis Swing, which has greatly benefited from the festive atmosphere. Tournaments such as the China Open and the Rolex Shanghai Masters have capitalised on the Golden Week holiday, attracting spectators from both megacities and rural areas.
For example, the Rolex Shanghai Masters saw over 220,000 spectators attend in person, with 70 per cent of attendees coming from outside of Shanghai, according to organizers. The event itself featured vibrant sponsor zones, tennis-themed activities, and exclusive merchandise that resonated with fans, resulting in sales exceeding $138,000 per day.
The tournament’s success wasn’t just about tennis. Special ticket promotions like “Ticket & Travel” allowed spectators to enjoy cultural experiences, like the Huangpu River Cruise and an exhibition of ancient Egyptian artifacts at the Shanghai Museum.
Similarly, the 2024 WTA Wuhan Open recorded a historic high in attendance, with more than 180,000 tennis fans attending – an 80 per cent increase from 2019. The China Open also saw tremendous success, surpassing $11m in ticket sales, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Both events set records for attendance and ticket sales, showing the growing popularity and economic impact of tennis in China.
China’s rapidly growing tennis infrastructure is another key contributor to the sport’s success. With 49,767 tennis courts (second highest globally), a burgeoning tennis population, and 98 international tournaments hosted across 48 cities in 2024, China has proven to be a hub for international tennis activity.
Star power
The rise of Chinese tennis stars has played a critical role in capturing the nation’s attention and elevating the sport. Leading the pack is Zheng Qinwen – dubbed ‘Queen Wen’ by her fans.
Zheng has single-handedly raised the sport’s profile in China, as well as bringing her country’s reputation back to the top of the world tennis table.
A fierce competitor on the court that won Olympic gold in Paris, Zheng is also proving just as successful off it, landing lucrative deals with brands such as Nike, Gatorade, McDonald’s and Lancôme.
At just 22 years old, it isn’t unreasonable to expect Zheng will land a grand slam win in the coming years. And if that happens, a wave of tennis hysteria will undoubtedly sweep the nation – as it did when Li Na won the French Open in 2011.
Zheng is hoping to follow in Li’s footsteps on and off the court. Li was China’s first tennis superstar, winning a total of three grand slams and attracting a wide range of blue-chip brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Rolex and Haagen-Dazs. Like Zheng, Li was also kitted out by Nike.
Li’s achievements made tennis a beloved sport across China and blazed a trail for players like Zheng, who is now attempting to find another level in her play to consistently beat the likes of Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.
If she can achieve that, Zheng may become the single biggest star in a country predisposed to the worship of sporting icons.
A nation of icons
With no strong heritage of team sport fandom in China, individual athletes such as tennis players have the room to capture the public’s imagination en masse. In addition, the sport itself translates well to the Chinese public, who are well-versed in sports such as table tennis and badminton.
This, combined with the more global appeal of tennis, has created a fertile ground for new stars to be born. Players like Zheng are capable of achieving demigod status in a country hungry for global sporting success, and tennis can provide this like very few other sports.
China now has five players in the WTA’s top 100 – the country’s women have been far more successful than the men, with Zhang Zhizhen the highest-ranked ATP player at 47th.
But a groundswell of young players – driven by huge participation levels – could revolutionise both sets of rankings in years to come. And if Zheng can bring home a grand slam, the number of those players will surge way beyond 20 million.