Not everyone believes that. Alize Cornet, the French player who was among the first to use the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai, announced on Thursday that she would not be playing during the tour’s Chinese swing, which starts in Guangdong on Monday and finishes in Zhuhai on October 29.

“Staying true to my convictions and careful about my health, I decided that I will not be playing in China this year,” the 33-year-old wrote on social media. “My season will therefore resume in October. See you soon, everybody!”

Of course, Cornet’s absence is not the blow it once was. With her best years on the court behind her, she was knocked out of the US Open singles and women’s doubles in the first round, and last week was stopped in the semi-final of a WTA 125 event in Bari where she was the first seed.

Politics not a factor in Azarenka invite for Hong Kong WTA event, says tennis boss

Emerging from the pandemic was never going to be easy, and China has not escaped unscathed, in a sporting sense. The WTA Finals were previously held up as a crown jewel, but those have been lost to Cancun this year, and the potential for the introduction of Saudi money could change the equation once again.

Li won the French Open in 2011, when Zheng was just eight, and she said it had “planted a seed in my heart”.

“When [Li Na] won the French Open … the first Asian who won a grand slam, that gives a lot to a young kid, especially for me,” Zheng said.

“We have local players who are very competitive and will have a chance to play at this level, because we can provide wild cards, and it is a big part of their development,” Lai said.

60-Second Catch-up

Deep dives

Who is Wu Yibing, China’s first tennis ATP champion?

• Tipped for the top after winning junior US Open in 2017, 23-year-old is finally fulfilling his vast potential

• Wu’s Dallas Open triumph comes after 3 years in the wilderness, with injury taking its toll and the pandemic restricting his movement

While China has a bona fide female tennis superstar in Li Na, who won two grand slams during her career, it has never had a big name in men’s tennis.

Until now, that is.

Coleman Wong wants more court time before Asian Games, despite home ITF triumph

• Rain delay turned to his advantage as he takes singles crown, but he suffers doubles final defeat alongside compatriot Jack Wong

• Davis Cup tie at home to Latvia this weekend offers chance for Wong and Wong to improve their rapport on court with an eye on the Games

Coleman Wong Chak-lam took advantage of the rain delays to launch a come-from-behind victory in the ITF M25 Hong Kong men’s singles final on Monday.

The final scheduled day of the event at Chinese Recreation Club in Causeway Bay had been suspended by torrential rain on Sunday with home contender Wong trailing Egor Gerasimov of Belarus 6-4, 4-3.

Coleman Wong knows Asian Games ‘will be anything but easy’

• Hong Kong’s men’s tennis No 1 continues where he left off in Chengdu, winning first-round singles tie at Victoria Park

• Second seed Wong battles back from 5-2 down in first set to take victory as build-up to Hangzhou Games continues

Winning a medal at the recent World University Games has instilled a lot of confidence in Coleman Wong Chak-lam ahead of the Asian Games, but the Hong Kong tennis No 1 will not get carried away.

Playing his first match at Victoria Park since last year’s International Challenge, the 19-year-old was given a scare in Wednesday’s first-round tie at the ITF M25 tournament.

WTA’s Peng Shuai climbdown sees Hong Kong Tennis Open return

• Hong Kong tennis chief Philip Mok welcomes WTA’s decision to end 16-month boycott of events in China over safety concerns surrounding Peng

• ‘Restarting this mega sport event will also help Hong Kong fully regain its vibrancy and re-establish ourselves as a major international hub,’ Mok says

In the wake of the WTA’s climbdown over safety concerns surrounding Chinese player Peng Shuai, the women’s Hong Kong Open is set to return to the city after a five-year hiatus.

The Women’s Tennis Association Tour event will be held at Victoria Park in October, with an exact date to be announced soon.

Wong’s triumph ‘shot in the arm’ for Hong Kong’s WTA, ATP hopes

• The 17-year-old eyes more tennis recognition for Hong Kong and spots in September’s Hangzhou Asian Games and 2024 Paris Olympics

• Association president Philip Mok ‘confident’ in Hong Kong Open return in October, and men’s ATP event ‘maybe in a year or two’

Coleman Wong Chak-lam’s Australian Open win has given the promising teenager and the Hong Kong Tennis Association a “shot in the arm” after a stop-start Covid-19-affected two years.

Tennis chiefs to decide fate of Hong Kong Open in next 3 weeks

• World tennis bosses says city will know by end of March if tournament can return to Victoria Park in October

• Hong Kong Tennis Association says it still owns right to stage event and is in constant contact with officials

Hong Kong tennis chiefs should learn in the next three weeks if the city’s flagship tournament will return or not, a senior official said.

Organisers of the Hong Kong Open have been told by the WTA that an answer will come by late March as to whether the event at Victoria Park can go ahead in October.

Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world.