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World number one Novak Djokovic says it will be at least five years before Asia can produce a top-ranking men's player, and greater support for emerging players is the key.
Only one Asian is among the men's top 40, number 13-ranked Kei Nishikori from Japan, and he has trained in the United States since the age of 14 and is based there.
Women's tennis in Asia has been boosted by the emergence of Li Na, who has pioneered the sport due to her huge popularity as a 2011 French Open winner.
But the world number five remains the only singles grand slam winner from Asia, and Djokovic said more Asian stars were needed in men's tournaments to raise awareness of the sport.
"First we have to see Asian players more coming towards the top of men's tennis," he said in Beijing yesterday after winning his opening match at the China Open against Czech Lukas Rosol 6-0, 6-3.
"With bigger support and awareness about tennis, I think you can expect better results."
But he said Asia was still a long way from producing a player who could be "dominant".
"That is not realistic for Asian players at this moment because they haven't had any big success in grand slams," he said. "In the next five years I don't see it happening, but, you know, maybe I'm wrong." Djokovic also said a "kind of a system that can support the sport in this part of the world" was needed that would invest money and expertise into emerging players. China's highest ranked men's player is Zhang Ze at 193. He was knocked out of the China Open by Australian number one Bernard Tomic 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.
Following his first-round victory, Djokovic praised the China Open, and the Shanghai Masters, which is played immediately afterwards, as being among the "best tournaments in the world".
Chinese player Wu Di, who is ranked 243rd in the world, said the high-profile tournaments had helped the development of domestic players.
However, Wu, who made history in January when he became the first Chinese man to play a grand slam tournament at the Australian Open, said homegrown stars were far from being world-beaters.
"They [the tournaments] have given us a lot of opportunities where we can play the match with the top-level players in the world," he said after crashing out in Beijing to eighth seed American John Isner 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
Meanwhile, Li Na's bid to claim her first major tournament on home soil remained on course as she progressed to the quarter-finals defeating Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki 7-5, 6-4.
In the quarter-finals, Li will face Czech Petra Kvitova, who defeated Italian Sara Errani 6-4, 6-7 (7-3), 6-3.
World number four Agnieszka Radwanska had earlier powered through to the third round with a convincing victory over American teenager Madison Keys.
The Polish third seed claimed a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the 18-year-old, who is being tipped as one of the sport's rising stars.


Djokovic crushes hopes of Asian male taking world by storm

Novak Djokovic endears himself to the mainland fans after winning his first-round match against Czech Lukas Rosol at the China Open in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Sport

Tennis

World number one says it could be five years before a dominant male from continent appears


World number one Novak Djokovic says it will be at least five years before Asia can produce a top-ranking men's player, and greater support for emerging players is the key.


Djokovic crushes hopes of Asian male taking world by storm

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}World number one says it could be five years before a dominant male from continent appears

World number one says it could be five years before a dominant male from continent appears