Li excited by new Wuhan tournament

LI Na said yesterday she was excited that a new tournament was coming to her "special" hometown in 2014, and added the decision showed the growing popularity of tennis in China.

The former French Open champion said she hoped her fellow players would take time out from the tournament so she could show them around Wuhan, Hubei Province, in central China.

The Women's Tennis Association on Wednesday named Wuhan as the host of a new US$2 million tournament in 2014 to replace the 30-year-old Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

Asked about the new competition at the Sydney International tournament, Li said she was excited about the prospect.

"It's special city for me. I was born there and grow up there," she said, adding that if her friends on the tour have time, "I want to show them around my hometown."

Specifically, she said she planned to "show how good the food is". However, she conceded that the demands of playing in a top-level tournament could mean not all would have time to take her up on the offer.

"It's tough for the athletes if they come to a new tournament. They always have to adjust to the court, the weather, everything."

Asked why so many tournaments were now heading to Asia, Li quipped: "Because they have good economy."

She added: "I think it's because tennis now in Asia has grown up a lot, and of course in China as well.

"So many children now pick up the tennis racquet. So many sponsors watch the tennis tournaments. So I think this is the way."

Li said she expected China to get more tournaments in the future, a prospect she relished as it meant she would not need to travel as much.

The new Wuhan tournament, in the week prior to the China Open, will feature at least seven of the year-end top 10-ranked players.

Meanwhile, Japan said it had not given up hope of remaining on the women's world tour.

"The 2014 calendar is still at a draft level," an official from the Pan Pacific Open secretariat said. "We are making arrangements with various parties concerned" to keep the event alive and on the list, possibly by overhauling its structure including the prize money, added the official, who asked not to be named.

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