ITF women's circuit launches first step in Changsha
( 2003-11-30 10:14) (Xinhua)
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) women's
tennis circuit has made its debut in Hunan province when the qualification round
started on Saturday.
With the prize money of 50,000 US dollars, the biggest of the kind in the ITF
women's circuit, ITF has signed a five-year contract with the local government
and the Chinese Tennis Association.
The seven-day competition attracted about 140 women players from more than 20
countries and regions, in which the 77th-ranked Cho Yoon-Jeong from South Korea
is the top seed.
As the best players in China, Zheng Jie, world No. 94, 141st- ranked Sun
Tiantian and No. 179 Yan Zi led other 20 younger qualifiers into the event.
Sun Wenming, official of the local sports bureau, said: "We hope that the
circuit can bring up more Chinese women talents for the 2004 Athens and 2008
Beijing Olympic Games."
The ITF circuit will have its last two stops of the year in Shenzhen, South
China and Bangkok, Thailand.
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