Tennis star Li Na targets new Hong Kong Open next year
Grand slam star pledges to 'fight' to be part of WTA event next year, which will be the first professional tournament in city since 2002
World No 5 Li Na yesterday threw her support behind Hong Kong when told the city would next year host its own WTA event, breaking a professional tournament drought that dates back a decade.
"I will fight for the chance to come [in 2014]," said Li, who will be in town next month for the BNP Paribas Showdown exhibition event. "It depends on my physical condition," added the 30-year-old. "I can't guarantee that I will come [in 2014]. After all there are still some unknown factors."
The Hong Kong Open will be staged from September 8 next year, a week after the US Open finishes in New York - a fact that will increase the chances of local fans seeing Li in action. The Hong Kong event has been given "International" status by the Women's Tennis Association, which places it one rung below the organisation's top-level "Premier" events, which in turn sit below the grand slams.
The WTA has also scheduled a Premier event for Li's hometown of Wuhan from September 22 next year - just before the China Open in Beijing from September 29.
Guangzhou will host an International-level event from September 15. Despite a long and rich history of hosting international tennis events, Hong Kong has been without a formally recognised tournament since the ATP's Hong Kong Open event was held at Victoria Park in 2002.
The long-running Hong Kong Tennis Classic exhibition event was last held in 2011 but fell victim to a loss of sponsorship.