China's first Roland Garros-labeled tennis club established in Nanchang

PARIS -- The first Chinese club to be labeled "Roland Garros" is now located in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang following a signing ceremony here on Wednesday.

"Clay courts are currently a rarity in China, while Roland Garros is famous for clay. We hope to establish 10 clubs labeled Roland Garros, and are now in a process of negotiation," said Stephane Morel, deputy general director of branding, licensing and retail of the French Tennis Federation.

"The cooperation is not limited to labeling Roland Garros in those clubs. We hope to bring more benefits to tennis lovers from communities around the clubs," he added.

Nanchang hosted the junior wild card matches of Roland Garros in April. The tournament is expected to bring more junior matches to China.

"We hope that in the future, more people can embrace the atmosphere of Roland Garros through the club in Nanchang," Morel pointed out.

A total of 11 clay courts have been built in Nanchang, with an estimated 20 courts provided for training young players and giving tennis fans a place to watch the sport.