WTA CEO Stacey Allaster 'Couldn't Be Happier' With Tennis Growth In China

Chinese tennis is "in a boom period" and WTA CEO & Chair Stacey Allaster, "couldn't be happier," according to Sun Xiaochen of the CHINA DAILY. Boasting "huge market potential and government support," China has become an ideal host for prestigious tennis events and the WTA has slated five high-level tournaments in the country in '14 -- "with one more big one possibly to come." However, the sport, which draws massive participation throughout the world, "remains in its infancy here." Allaster said, "Eight or nine (including lower-level events) is not that many. We have nine tournaments in the U.S., which has a much smaller population base. I think we have seen an incredible commitment by the CTA [Chinese Tennis Association] and local government to invest in infrastructure. It gives the WTA an incredible opportunity to have the China Open as our foundation and to then build around that event with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Hong Kong, combined with the WTA 125 (lower-tier events)" (CHINA DAILY, 3/7).