Academies teach children to play the game

Meng Xin, a 10-year-old girl from Beijing, stayed at a summer camp to play mini-tennis with about 40 other children from Chinese and expatriate families.

They are receiving intensive full-day training at the Potter's Wheel International Tennis Academy in Beijing, where Carlos Rodriguez, French Open champion Li Na's former coach, serves as the president and is one of the shareholders.

The historic victory of Li, the first Asian woman to win a Grand Slam championship, has resulted in a growing interest in tennis among children in a nation where the sport has been relatively unpopular.