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WTA (Women's Tennis Association)i

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA), founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organising body of women's professional tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. The WTA's corporate headquarters is in St. Petersburg, Florida, with its European headquarters in London and its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Beijing.

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  • Yuan Yue goes out of BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in quarter-finals to American star 6-4, 6-3
  • The 25-year-old is now world No 49 having started the year outside the top 100
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Zheng Qinwen seeks to become only her country’s second grand-slam singles title winner on Saturday when she takes on defending champion and world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne.

‘Queen Wen’ overcomes Dayana Yastremska to set up final against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, and could become the first Chinese champion since Li Na.

Popular 21-year-old’s rendition of hit song ‘Economy Class’ gets mixed reviews, but Chinese No 1 may have to get used to the high life after biggest title of her career.

The 21-year-old Canadian, who is partly of Filipino heritage, battles for quarterfinals victory at Victoria Park, where the crowd have taken her to their hearts.

Beatriz Haddad Maia eventually sees off Aliaksandra Sasnovich after three and a half hours in Victoria Park, as Hong Kong duo are swept aside in singles.

Bad blood resurfaces as Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva beats Ukranian opponent in straight sets. Victoria Azarenka forced to retire after suffering knee injury.

World No 2 ‘got back to basics’ after US Open loss, in the first China Open since the country lifted pandemic restrictions and the WTA ended an embargo imposed over the Peng Shuai allegations.

Dayana Yastremska, who won the 2018 Open, will begin a belated title defence against Russia’s Mirra Andreeva, with whom there is bad blood over pro-Putin post.

Event back for the first time since 2018, featuring stars such as Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine, who could meet Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka or one of several Russians.

In this issue of the Global Impact newsletter, we look ahead to the return of professional tennis in China, including a stop in Hong Kong by the WTA tour in October.

Human rights activist calls on players to ‘speak up’ and says women’s tennis’ governing body should ‘keep pressing the case robustly and publicly’.