SPORTS> China
Youngsters 'swing for the stars'
By Yu Yilei (China Daily Staff Writer)
Updated: 2008-10-08 10:35

Chinese tennis official Gao Shenyang was ecstatic after Zheng Jie and Yan Zi won bronze in the women's doubles and Li Na made it into the women's singles semifinals at the Olympic Games.

He was equally happy Tuesday at the launch of a junior tennis development program - "Swing for the Stars" - at primary and high schools in Beijing.

"I am glad to see that tennis is being taught to young kids at schools," said Gao, vice chief of the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA), who said the initiative was another "important moment" for China and its development of tennis.

"Taking tennis to schools is significant for China's tennis. Compared with Grand Slam events and Olympics, in which Chinese players are doing well, the program is fundamental and likely to benefit China's tennis in the long term."

The program, launched by the CTA, Mercedes-Benz and Dunlop, covers 10 primary and 10 high schools and more than 1,000 students in Beijing's Xicheng district.

The first term of the program lasts eight weeks, from Monday. Students are expected to learn the fundamentals of tennis with the help of their physical education teachers and special tennis envoys sent by the program organizers. Each student will get a high performance junior tennis manual compiled by former United States Tennis Association junior coach of the year Jeff Bearup.

To test the program, each school will send two students, one boy and a girl, to take part in a tennis tournament in December.

Gao stressed Tuesday the current program is just a beginning.

"We chose the schools in Beijing's Xicheng to start the program because they have good facilities," he said. "The program will definitely go nationwide in the near future."

China's tennis is in the spotlight thanks to the achievements of its women's players - Zheng reached the semifinals at July's Wimbledon, and Li Na upset world No 1 Serena Williams at the Stuttgart Grand Prix last week.

Gao said it was time to improve China's tennis at the grassroots level.

"With the program, there will be interest in tennis among students. With interest there will be effort. With effort there will be more tennis talents produced in schools."