EASTBOURNE, England (AP) First came the Russians. Now, women's tennis is preparing for a Chinese boom after Li Na's historic win at the French Open.
Anna Kournikova's success in the late 1990s inspired a succession of Russians to follow in her footsteps, and according to the WTA tour's chief marketing officer Andrew Walker, Li Na's win could have a similar effect in China.
Walker tells The Associated Press that Li's victory is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the potential of the China market for women's tennis.'' He says it could have wide-reaching impact on the women's game globally byattracting investment from Chinese brands as well as multinational brands.''