On 16 October 2025, the International Tennis & Tourism Forum was grandly held at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo. Hosted by the International Chinese Tennis Federation, the forum brought together tennis enthusiasts, travel experts and academics from five countries and regions under the theme “Connecting the World through Tennis, Fostering Exchange through Travel”, for an in-depth discussion of new directions in the integration of tennis and the tourism industry.
Over the course of the forum, we witnessed the boundless possibilities of combining tennis with travel. Tennis is more than a sport — it is a bridge that connects cultures and fosters understanding. Through international platforms like this one, we have together advanced the vision of “making friends through tennis, energising cities through travel”, so that more people meet through a shared passion and grow through exchange.
Mrs Lucy Chen-Jin (Australia), President of the International Chinese Tennis Federation, proposed promoting exchange among Chinese communities worldwide through the “tennis + travel” model.
As the leading international body for Chinese tennis exchange, the International Chinese Tennis Federation (ICTF) takes tennis as its platform and the cohesion of Chinese communities as its mission — promoting exchange and mutual progress among Chinese people internationally and advancing the development of Chinese tennis.
Ms Wen Yuan (Beijing) — Director of Education, mentor and examiner for the China region of the RSPA (formerly the USPTA, the United States Professional Tennis Association) and Vice President of the ICTF — spoke on the theme “Tennis Brings the World Closer: from Profession to Life, from the Individual to Cultural Exchange”. More than a lifestyle, it describes a journey of growth and awakening. Tennis is not only competition; it is a way of connecting with the world. Tennis brings China and the world closer, and tennis travel is becoming a new window for exchange between China and the world — tennis itself is a language of travel. Every city’s courts carry their own cultural character, and every match is an encounter between a person and the world.
Today, more and more Chinese tennis lovers are happy to shoulder their racquet bags and travel the world to play, watch matches and experience different courts. They measure the world with their footsteps, and come to know it through their racquets.
And I believe the next chapter should be this —
that tennis lovers from all over the world can also come to China.
Mr Zhang Lijian (France), President of the ICTF French Chapter and captain of the French Chinese representative team, said in his remarks:
In France, tennis is a vessel for a philosophy of life — above all at Roland Garros, where the passion of competition and the richness of human experience go hand in hand. Connecting Chinese communities worldwide through tournament platforms carries special meaning for cultural exchange; French tennis culture blends competition, etiquette and lifestyle into a distinctive experience.
Ms Zhang Shuhui (Hunan) — professor of psychology at Hunan Normal University, PhD (postdoctoral) and Deputy Secretary-General of the Hunan Tennis Association — proposed optimising event operations through tiered services designed around spending power, from premium Monte-Carlo-style offerings to affordable travel packages, and integrating resources so that tennis lovers from around the world can also come to China. China’s tennis culture, natural landscapes and urban vitality hold a unique appeal. In the future, “tennis + travel” can fully become a new cultural bridge — inviting more friends from abroad to play, travel and connect on quality courts in beautiful cities, and to experience China’s warmth and openness.
Let Chinese players go out into the world, and let the world come to China. When we shake hands and smile under the same sun, making friends through tennis — that is tennis tourism truly fulfilled.
Mr Cui Wei (Beijing), a player representative, suggested building contingency systems ahead of competition — indoor backup courts and flexible adjustments to formats (such as four-game sets) — and enriching events afterwards with cultural and entertainment programmes: tennis coaching combined with travel photography, opera evenings and other themed experiences, and a volunteer system drawing on local university students.
At the forum’s grand ceremony, Chairwoman Lucy Chen-Jin presented certificates to the players who won the Best Special Award, Best Contribution Award, Most Popular Female Player Award, Most Popular Male Player Award, Most Beloved Female Player Award and Most Beloved Male Player Award at the 2025 Tokyo “Jintong Cup” 15th International Chinese Tennis Open.
The warm atmosphere on site celebrated and congratulated these outstanding players, and reflected the cohesion and spirit of the international Chinese tennis family.
