The WTA has announced one of its top tournaments is moving from Japan to China. The Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo will end what will have been a 30-year run after this year and move to Wuhan, China, hometown of top WTA player Li Na. The announcement comes amid a flurry of calendar developments from the WTA, including a 10% rise in prize money this year to $58.7M. Two events are relocating to China. In addition to the Tokyo one, which awards $2M in prize money, a smaller one in Malaysia will move in '14 to Hong Kong. In a statement, WTA Chair & CEO Stacey Allaster said: "We are excited by the growth of women's professional tennis, particularly in key markets like China and Brazil. Development in the BRIC markets, led by China, has been a strategic priority for the past several years.” The WTA is staging an inaugural event in Brazil this year, and the women’s event in Memphis will relocate to Rio de Janiero next year. The WTA also said it would announce in April the host city for its season-ending championships beginning in '14. They are in Istanbul this year.
