Global spotlight focusing on Zhuhai

Tickets for the Oct 31-Nov 5 WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai are now on sale.

Aiming to expand the tournament’s fan base, organizer Huafa Sports is offering 100 yuan tickets for group match play, while VIP box tickets are only 200 yuan.

A six-day box seat package is also available, starting at 900 yuan, and a discount of up to 40 percent is available on tickets purchased before June 26.

As part of Huafa’s promotion, an online training platform for schools, colleges and communities has been created, featuring Zhuhai’s best tennis courts and coaches.

Several off-court activities, including an international gourmet festival and fan carnival will also be part of the tournament festivities.

Now in its third year, the tournament will be staged at Hengqin Tennis Center, with German legend Steffi Graf, a former world No 1 and 22-time Grand Slam champion, serving as official ambassador.

The tournament was established in 2015 in partnership with APG as a tailor-made event created by the WTA for the coastal city adjacent to Macao and Hong Kong.

With total prize money of $2.28 million, the round-robin competition features the world’s top 20 female players in singles and doubles.

The singles champion receives 700 ranking points.

Multiple Grand Slam champions Venus Williams of the US and Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic won in 2015 and 2016, respectively.