NANCHANG — The 2026 Shanshui Wuning International Tennis Open concluded earlier this month, drawing nearly 500 youth athletes from over 10 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. The event, held at the foot of the mountains in East China's Jiangxi province, attracted approximately 10,000 spectators.

Many of the spectators chose to combine match-viewing with a vacation in the scenic area, and the players universally praised the facilities.

"The courts here are excellent. Playing tennis in such beautiful surroundings is really a delight," said German player Mia Noetzig.

Known for its natural beauty of mountains and rivers, Wuning county, located in the city of Jiujiang, is designated as a national tennis demonstration zone. Last year, the county hosted 10 international and 16 national-level tennis tournaments, with over 8,000 participants.

"With a beautiful environment and fresh air, the county is very suitable for outdoor sports like tennis," said Tang Guanghua, former coach for China's national youth tennis team.

A native of Wuning, Tang returned to his hometown in 2016 and, inspired by the pristine landscape, envisioned nurturing young local talent. A year later, he joined forces with Asian Games tennis champion Xia Jiaping to co-invest in building the lakeside Wuning International Tennis Center.

To support the development of the tennis industry, Wuning designated annual funds of at least 5 million yuan ($727,500) to improve facilities. To date, over 200 tennis courts have been built across the county's urban and rural areas, averaging about seven courts per 10,000 residents.

More than 14,000 primary and secondary school students in Wuning have received tennis training. Over 200 have pursued professional paths, and trainees from the center have won 165 championship medals in various national tennis competitions.

"Without tennis, I don't know where I could have gone," said Liu Zhenni, a local student who has enrolled in Wuhan Sports University as a student with a specialty in tennis.

Li Wu, deputy director of the county's tennis development center, said Wuning has organized activities to promote tennis in schools, communities, institutions, villages and enterprises, broadening its reach. "Currently, about one in every 10 people in the county has tried tennis," he said.

According to the General Administration of Sport, the number of people who actively participate in tennis nationwide stood at approximately 25.19 million as of 2024, up 28 percent from 2021.

In Wuning, the modern court facilities, vibrant tennis culture and picturesque natural scenery have attracted a growing number of tennis tournaments, bringing a steady flow of visitors and tourism revenue.

Wang Yuanzheng, from the provincial capital, Nanchang, said he often takes his family to watch tennis matches and to go camping in Wuning.

"It's only a two-hour drive from Nanchang. As my son comes to watch more matches, he develops a deeper interest in the sport, which makes us very happy," Wang said.

China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) calls for developing distinctive county-level economies and promoting integrated development that revitalizes industries, strengthens counties and enriches local residents.

Last year, 250,000 tourists visited Wuning, generating nearly 200 million yuan in sports tourism consumption.

Homestay owner Yang Jin used to struggle to attract guests because of his business's remote location. With the rise of tennis in Wuning, his rooms are booked every weekend, and his monthly revenue has stabilized at around 20,000 yuan, even in the off-season.

Yang, who is also a court manager, said tourists who have never played tennis can swing a racket in this natural oxygen bar, with equipment and technical guidance provided by the court.

Li said the county plans to build a public fitness center and new hotels, and to introduce renowned foreign coaches to provide a better experience for both locals and visiting tennis enthusiasts.

Xinhua