..
National tennis fever: Chinese stellar players and enthusiasts drive sport to new heights
en.hangzhou.com.cn 2024-10-22 14:51 Source: Global Times
Expanded training
As both Li Na and Zheng hail from Hubei, many fans are hoping Hubei can become a hot bed for cultivating China's future tennis stars.
When Li clinched her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2014, Zheng was one of the youngsters cheering for her in front of the TV. Now an even bigger talent pool is following in the footsteps of Li and Zheng.
Jingshan, a county-level city in Hubei, has been officially recognized as the "Tennis City of China."
This prestigious title reflects the deep integration of tennis into the local culture and its pioneering efforts to promote the sport at the grassroots level since the 1980s.
With a population of only 650,000 residents, Jingshan boasts more than 340 tennis courts, over 100,000 active players, multiple national and international tennis tournaments, as well as the only tennis school in China that combines compulsory education with professional tennis training.
Zhu Dingzhu, president of the Hubei Tennis School, based in Jingshan, told the Global Times that the school is committed to fostering the next Zheng.
Having just moved to a newly established campus in early October, the public school now houses over 460 students and 43 coaches.
Established in 2019, the school offers a blend of standard academic courses alongside professional tennis training with a capacity for over 1,000 students between 6 to 14 years old.
"Our objective is to cultivate reserve tennis athletes, contributing to the talent pool for Hubei's provincial team and China's national team. While 15 percent of students are currently from regions outside of Hubei, we aim to enlarge this number to 30 percent in 2025 and 50 percent by 2030," Zhu noted.
"Although only a few can eventually progress to higher levels of competitive tennis, we hope to expand the talent pool with the second and third Zheng emerging from here."
Scheduled from October 17 to November 10, the 5th China (Jingshan) Tennis Festival features a variety of exciting events, including the 4th World Junior Soft Tennis Championships, the inaugural China Village Tennis finals and a national team event.
These competitions aim to showcase emerging talents and promote tennis at both grassroots and professional levels, further establishing Jingshan as a key hub for tennis development in China.
Author: Lu Wenao and Wu Jie Editor: Ye Lijiao
Back
