Zhuhai aiming to build on net gains

WTA Elite tourney has grown into a springboard for emerging talent

With a new champion crowned in fan favorite Aryna Sabalenka, the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai on Sunday capped a remarkable five-year stint in the southern coastal city, bearing witness to the region's growing love affair with tennis.

From its launch in 2015, the Elite Trophy, the second-tier year-ending tournament on the WTA Tour, has been a showcase for the sport's top female stars, and that continued at Hengqin International Tennis Center when Belarusian ace Sabalenka defeated top seed Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-2 to claim her third title in China this year after winning in Shenzhen in January and defending the trophy in Wuhan last month.