'China Swing' proves to be an economic grand slam

No shining home stars, no problem — China's thriving tennis market has capped off a strong year of business, with tournament revenue and the sport's popularity scaling new heights in 2025.

Despite the country's top aces' injury plagued campaigns on the professional tours, tennis fever ignited by the Olympic success in 2024 has kept burning hot over the past season, propelling public consumption in businesses around tournament operation, training and tourism to record numbers throughout the past year.

From September to November, nine tour-level tournaments on the men's and women's pro circuits had been held across China, highlighted by the top-flight WTA1000 China Open in Beijing and equivalent ATP Masters event in Shanghai, drawing a massive fan following, media exposure and sponsorship interest during the autumn "China Swing".

Combined revenues of the nine tournaments have exceeded 1 billion yuan ($142.5 million) this year, with total ticket revenue setting a new record of 250 million yuan, according to figures released on Dec 18 by the tennis administrative center under the General Administration of Sport of China.

Drawn by a glittering cast of international stars, the two biggest tournaments, the China Open and Rolex Shanghai Masters, each registered all-time-high spectator attendances at 360,000 and 250,000, respectively, with surging visitor flows during the weeklong National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays turning the two events into hot tourism destinations.

"The tournament has emerged as a huge contributor to the holiday economy in Shanghai, which has more than met our expectations and goals," said Yang Yibin, chairman of Juss Sports, the organizing and promoting company of the Shanghai Masters.

Collectively, the nine tournaments contributed to a total tourism revenue of 16 billion yuan across their host cities, paying dividends for businesses around catering, accommodation, sightseeing, exhibitions and souvenir sales, according to the tennis center.