ALMATY, Kazakhstan, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's growing investment in tennis infrastructure, expanding tournament calendar and emerging junior talent are laying the foundations for sustained success, Asian Tennis Federation President Yuri Polsky said.
Speaking to Xinhua on the sidelines of the 2026 Almaty Open, Polsky praised the rapid development of tennis in China, highlighting the country's achievements at the elite level and efforts to cultivate the next generation of players.
"Tennis in China is growing pretty fast," Polsky said, pointing to the impact of Zheng Qinwen's historic women's singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Zheng's triumph, which made her the first Asian player to win an Olympic singles gold medal in tennis, represented a significant milestone for the sport in China and helped raise its profile among the wider public.
"The Olympic gold was a big improvement, and it showed the Chinese population that tennis is a priority sport," Polsky said.
China has established itself as an increasingly important destination on the international tennis calendar, hosting major events including the Shanghai Masters, China Open in Beijing and Wuhan Open, as well as Billie Jean King Cup competitions in Shenzhen.
Beyond professional tournaments, Polsky highlighted the construction of new tennis facilities and the expansion of junior competitions as important elements of China's long-term development.
"At the regional level, a lot of new tennis centres are being built," he said. "New tournaments are happening."
Polsky said he had seen plans for the new Beijing facility, which would feature tennis courts on two levels, including both clay and hard courts.
"It's an amazing project," he said.
He added that such investments would help China develop a stronger pathway for young players seeking to progress from grassroots competition to the international stage.
"We can not only build high-level tournaments for the professionals, but also ensure that the next generation of players will be coming and participating in events which eventually lead up to the Grand Slams," he said.
Polsky also expressed confidence in the quality of China's emerging players, citing the country's recent performances in international under-12 team competition.
"I've just seen the Chinese team of 12-and-under players participating in the Intercontinental Cup," he said. "I saw how good they are, how they're winning. Actually, the boys won."
For Polsky, the combination of elite-level success, improved facilities and a growing pool of young talent suggests that China's tennis development extends well beyond its current generation of leading players.
"That shows that the next generation of Chinese players is very good, so I believe there is a big future," he said. ■
