NEW WUHAN WTA TENNIS BOASTS STAR-STUDDED PLAYER FIELD INCLUDING LI NA , SERENA WILLIAMS , MARIA SHARAPOVA , CARO WOZNIACKI , PETRA KVITOVA , ANA IVANOVIC & AGGIE RADWANSKA

Written by: Staff on 14th August 2014

NEW WUHAN WTA TENNIS BOASTS STAR-STUDDED PLAYER FIELD INCLUDING LI NA , SERENA WILLIAMS , MARIA SHARAPOVA , CARO WOZNIACKI , PETRA KVITOVA , ANA IVANOVIC & AGGIE RADWANSKA

epa04285423 Na Li of China returns to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic during their third round match of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 27 June 2014. EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH |

2014 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open to boast show stopping line-up

The biggest names in women’s tennis are heading to Wuhan this September for the inaugural Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, which China’s fastest-growing city will host from 21st to 27th September 2014.

Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Ana Ivanovic, Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki will join a host of marquee players, including Wuhan native Li Na. With 19 of the World’s Top 20 players now entered and a ranking cut-off of around 44, the 2014 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open is set to boast one of the most impressive player line-ups ever seen at an event making its debut on the WTA Tour.

What the players are saying about the 2014 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open and visiting the City of Wuhan:

Ana Ivanovic:

“I can’t wait to get to Wuhan and play. Coming to a new city and playing a brand new event is going to be a fantastic experience for all of us. I’m so excited to be part of it.”

Petra Kvitova:

“It’s always exciting to play in a different city and to experience a new tournament. Li Na has told me about Wuhan so I’m really looking forward to being there and playing in front of new fans.”

Wuhan-born Li Na:

“I’m so proud that my city is staging such a prestigious tournament. I am very excited about being part of such a strong field of players and I can’t wait to get on court and play in front of my home crowd.”

Peter Johnson, WTA Managing Director, Asia Pacific commented on the strength of the entry field for the inaugural event:

“It is truly a monumental moment in the development of the WTA and women’s tennis in China. We have 48 of the top 50 players in the world all travelling to Li Na’s home town of Wuhan to compete for almost $US 2.5million in prize money. The players will compete in one of the world’s great new tennis venues, built thanks to the vision and commitment shown by the Wuhan Municipal government. Li Na’s achievements, combined with this Government vision, will showcase the beautiful city of Wuhan to the world and inspire the next generation of Li Nas to play tennis.”

Tickets for the 2014 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open are available via the official ticket sales website www.4008702014.com, or dial 400-870-2014 to book tickets or purchase tickets through the main ticket box office at the Optics Valley International Tennis Centre and three branch box offices around the City.

For more information about the 2014 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, please visit www.wuhanopen.org

About the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open:

Total prize-money purse of $2,440,070

Runs Sep 21 – Sep 27, 2014 (inclusive)

Played on outdoor hardcourt

One of three WTA events in China new to the calendar in 2014, bringing the total number of tournaments in China to six

One of two (along with Beijing) Premier-level events hosted in China

Premier-level events are the most prestigious events on the WTA Tour

About the WTA:

The WTA is the global leader in women’s professional sport with more than 2,500 players representing 92 nations competing for a record $118 million

in prize money at the WTA’s 54 events and four Grand Slams in 33 countries. Close to 5.4 million people attended women’s tennis events in 2013 with

millions more watching on television and digital channels around the world. The 2014 WTA competitive season concludes with the BNP Paribas WTA

Finals Singapore presented by SC Global October 17-26, 2014 and the Garanti Koza Tournament of Champions in Sofia, Bulgaria, October 28-November

2, 2014. Further information on the WTA can be found at

www.wtatennis.com; facebook.com/WTA and twitter.com/WTA

About the City of Wuhan:

Wuhan is the most populous city in Central China with an overall population of 9.7 million and an urban population of 6.6 million (2012)

Capital of Hubei province

It is the birth place of two-time Grand Slam champion (and Donfeng Motor Wuhan Open competitor) Li Na

It is built on the banks of the iconic River Yangtze

It serves as a gateway – geographically and economically – between East and West China and is known as the “thoroughfare to nine provinces”

It has been described by economists as “China’s economic and geographical centre”

Wuhan is a key intersection in the railway network linking North China, Southwest China, Central-South China and East China and China’s other major cities

Wuhan currently boasts over 10,000 commercial organizations, 105,000 commodity networks, four commercial listed enterprises as well as eight shopping centers, all of which feature on the list of China Top 100 Retail Shopping Centers

It has a complete array of industries, including over 30,000 industrial enterprises of 33 industries such as iron and steel, automobile, equipment manufacturing, petroleum and petrochemical, optoelectronic communication, western and traditional Chinese medicine, biological engineering, textile, clothes, food and, increasingly, sport

Wuhan is also a centre of learning. There are 52 regular institutions of higher learning in Wuhan with over 700,000 students, 736 scientific and design institutes, 10 state key laboratories, 59 Academicians of China Ac

demy of Science and China Academy of Engineering as well as 450,000 technicians of various kinds

Topics: Agnieszka Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Serena Williams, Tennis, Tennis News, Wta, Wuhan Open

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10sBalls_com says:

August 14, 2014 at 12:04 pm

NEW WUHAN #WTA #TENNIS BOASTS STAR-STUDDED PLAYER FIELD INCLUDING LI NA, @serenawilliams, @MariaSharapova…- http://t.co/35rIkAa28y
TasteofTennis says:

August 14, 2014 at 12:05 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: NEW WUHAN #WTA #TENNIS BOASTS STAR-STUDDED PLAYER FIELD INCLUDING LI NA, @serenawilliams, @MariaSharapova…- http://t.co…
soko999 says:

August 14, 2014 at 12:58 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: NEW WUHAN #WTA #TENNIS BOASTS STAR-STUDDED PLAYER FIELD INCLUDING LI NA, @serenawilliams, @MariaSharapova…- http://t.co…