WTA President David Shoemaker said on Wednesday that the China Open, which has just been promoted to one of the biggest tournaments this season, will help grow the tennis market and enhance the development of the industry overall in China.

Shoemaker, who oversaw the tour's Asia-Pacific operations in Beijing last year, will soon leave China for the United States after his promotion to President, but he said he will retain responsibility for the region when he moves to Florida.

"The China Open have gained success in the last couple of years. It is one of the important events in Asia and I think it will take the central stage in the coming years," Shoemaker told Xinhua on Wednesday.

"I see the potential here. I see Beijing as a future capital of tennis," added Shoemaker, who is able to speak some simple Chinese.

Shoemaker has been working hard on promoting the sport and WTA as the women's professional tour in Asia, with one of the key moves being the elevation of China Open to one of the 'crown jewels', a 4. 5 million U.S. dollars elite event.

"The China Open becomes a popular event with big prize money. It is mandatory for the top women's players to come and play," said Shoemaker. "We think it is getting critical to have top players competing in front of the Chinese fans to drive interest and support."

"It is extremely important that we cooperate with our partners like the Chinese Tennis Association, the Beijing municipal government and the promotion company of the China Open. I think they are willing to help grow the profile of tennis and they have strong will to build the China Open into a world-class tournament," he said.

It is clear that WTA has identified China and Asia as a key strategic marketplace as a total of 16 tournaments are listed in this season's calendar, taking up one third of all the tournaments on the women's tour.

Shoemaker accepted that China is by no means a mature tennis market so the tour's job, he said, is not dragging the Chinese fans into the court but bringing tennis to them.

The WTA launched its mandarin website -- the tour's first ever non-English language website soon after they opened its Asia-Pacific Headquarters in Beijing last year.

Shoemaker told Xinhua the website was relaunched last month and it is updated and became modern. The English website was also adjusted and there are some elements customized for the Chinese viewers.

The WTA also organized "tennis festival" in the shopping malls in Beijing and south China's Guangzhou, aimed to have major exposure of the sport and make it more popular.

Chinese tennis players have been prominently successful in the last few years, and it seems they have just begun their rise. Shoemaker believed rising stars are playing an important role in promoting the sport in a country.

"The stars are pivotal for a successful tournament and so are the rising hopefuls," Shoemaker commented after China's Zhang Shuai, only 226th ranked in the world, upset the world number one Dinara Safina in the second round at the ongoing China Open.

"Usually the local players helps tickets sale and the development of the sport. We are glad to see Li Na and Zheng Jie who flied the Chinese flags. We hope those coming up girls are able to catch the world's eyes as soon as possible and we are ready to help."

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