China To Host New WTA Tournament

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 27th November 2012

China To Host New WTA Tournament

epa03448255 Li Na of China serves the ball to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their match at the round-robin stage of the WTA Championships tennis tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, 26 October 2012. EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU |

The WTA announced that a new WTA tennis tournament will take place in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen next season, starting December 29.

Carrying total prize money of US$500,000, and featuring a 32 player singles and 16 pair doubles main draw, together with a 16 player singles qualifying draw, the WTA International Series Shenzhen Gemdale Open will be played from December 29, 2012 to January 5, 2013. It will be hosted on the outdoor hard courts of the magnificent Shenzhen Longgang Tennis Center with its 32 outdoor and indoor courts, set around a world-class 4,000 seat stadium.

China’s own Grand Slam Champion and world #7, Li Na, will spearhead the field. She will be joined by world #11 Marion Bartoli of France -Bartoli will have been ranked within the top-ten for 40 weeks in 2012-, Serbia’s former world #1 ranked player, Jelena Jankovic, and players from more than 15 countries. These include the 25th ranked Hsieh, Su-Wei of Taiwan, the world #28 Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic, Wimbledon Junior Champion Laura Robson of England and China’s Peng Shuai.

The new five-star Crowne Plaza Shenzhen Longgang City Centre, will be the official home to the players for the tournament. Its location just 12 minutes from the courts, combined with its luxury rooms, gym, pool, restaurants and amenities.

As with any tournament on the international circuit, sponsors play a vital role and the Shenzhen Open has Chinese and multinational companies that have already committed to being part of the event: In addition to Gemdale, CNN International, the Crowne Plaza Shenzhen Longgang City Centre, Guinot and Mary Cohr of France, Peak, Wilson, Yili Dairy, 500.com and Kunlun Mountain Water have confirmed their sponsorship of the tournament.