We do not claim a cent of Li or Zheng's prizemoney: says Sun

China's tennis chief, Sun Jinfang, said the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA) did not make a cent from Australian Open semifinalists Li Na and Zheng Jie and the other self-managed players and used their contributions to support the nation's youth players.

The top four Chinese women players, who include Li and Zheng, left the state-support system to manage their own careers at the end of 2008, thanks to a groundbreaking "flying away" move. According to the contract reached between the players and the CTA, they still have to give eight percent of the prizemoney on the WTA tour or 12 percent of their marketing profits to the association. Previously, the portion was as high as 65 percent.

"The CTA does not want a cent from the players. The money they gave us previously went towards tennis development in China and is now being used to help young players train and develop," said Sun (pictured) during a party on Wednesday organized by the WTA tour to celebrate Li and Zheng's semifinal appearances at the Australian Open last month.