Zheng Qinwen secured her first career China Open title on October 11, 2026, defeating French Open champion Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to become the first local player to win the tournament in its 20-year history, news.cjn.cn reported. Following her victory in Beijing, Zheng remarked on the grueling path to the trophy: “At first, I didn’t know how to win, I could only play it point by point, telling myself to hang in there and not give up.” That grit traces directly back to Jingshan, a county-level city in central Hubei province, where Zheng won her first-ever accolade—the U10 girls’ singles title at the 2012 Hubei Provincial Junior Tennis Tournament.
Jingshan’s Red Clay Roots and the Local Tennis Culture
Long before Zheng lifted her first junior trophy, tennis had already taken root in Jingshan. In 1983, the city constructed its first sand-and-dirt tennis court, where local seniors studied videotapes to learn the sport and maintained the playing surface themselves by spreading fresh sand over puddles after heavy rains, according to news.cnhubei.com reporting. That self-taught squad went on to win the Hubei Provincial Senior Tennis Tournament in 1987. Today, the sport permeates daily life in the region. Jingshan Municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary and Mayor Lu雷 noted that local greetings have shifted from traditional inquiries about meals to invitations to hit the courts, with a local saying declaring that sweating on the court outweighs sharing a formal dinner.
International Tournaments and the ‘Tennis Plus’ Economy
Jingshan has transformed its grassroots enthusiasm into professional infrastructure, highlighted by the Jingshan Tennis Open—a rare joint WTA and ATP challenger and professional event hosted in a county-level city. The tournament drew 132,000 onsite spectators and 1.5 million online viewers, featuring more than 100 international players across men’s and women’s draws, news.hbtv.com.cn reported. City officials attribute this draw to facilities like Asia’s largest contiguous cluster of 21 red clay courts. Over the past three years, Jingshan’s integrated “tennis plus” economy generated 138.79亿元 in comprehensive output value, attracting 858万人次 visitors and bringing in 7.17亿元 in tourism revenue.
Rural Revitalization Through the Sport
In Wenfeng Village, the core of the local tennis-themed district, the sport has reshaped the local economy and daily routines. More than 800 of the village’s 2,000 residents are active tennis players, utilizing courts, bed-and-breakfasts, and local eateries that have replaced vacant homes and idle farmland. Local guesthouse and restaurant operators reported that weekend bookings from traveling players consistently fill capacity, allowing families to earn steady income at home without migrating for work. Mayor Lu noted that the recreational boom has noticeably curbed local disputes by keeping residents engaged in community sports.
Training the Next Generation at Hubei Provincial Tennis School
At the Hubei Provincial Tennis School in Jingshan, nearly 600 students train under a dual-track model that combines competitive athletics with standard academic schooling. Executive Principal Gao Bao explained that the institution prepares students for professional careers while offering university admission pathways through athletic specialties. The school attracted intense interest during its national enrollment cycle, bringing in families from provinces as far away as Shandong. Alumni from the program include Wu Ruoxi, who advanced through tennis-specific admissions to Wuhan理工大学, won a team silver medal at the National Games, and earned a wild card into the main draw of a WTA 125 event hosted in Jingshan.
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