A bird's-eye view of the Huzhou International Tennis Center that is the largest red clay tennis facility in Asia. [Photo/Tide News]

The Women's Tennis Association recently announced that five new WTA 125 tournaments will be held in China between September and October this year. Among them, Huzhou in Zhejiang province will host its first international WTA event from Sept 8 to 14.

Huzhou boasts Asia's largest red clay tennis facility. In March, the Huzhou International Tennis Center opened. Spanning 50,000 square meters, it features 18 courts, with 14 red clay courts built to French Open standards. Tennis legends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf attended the opening.

Huzhou's tennis roots run deep. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, international visitors in Mogan Mountain scenic area, a summer retreat in Huzhou, popularized tennis. The Mogan Mountain Tennis Court, the earliest in Zhejiang, was built in 1901, and the first Mogan Mountain Tennis Open was held in 1909.

Huzhou currently boasts 159 tennis courts and over 30,000 tennis enthusiasts, with tennis programs in 80 percent of its primary and secondary schools.

Huzhou's commitment to tennis includes free public court access on Wednesdays and regular community events. The city aims to use tennis to enhance its international profile, focusing on red clay courts and diverse professional tennis tournaments.