Oil city Karamay serves up tennis dreams

The sport also took him beyond his hometown. During school holidays, coaches brought young players from Karamay to eastern Chinese cities with stronger tennis programs, where the team often drew curious looks.

"They were often surprised to see players from Xinjiang on the tennis court," Alipjan Awut said. "We knew there was a gap, but we wanted to change that perception."

After graduating from university, Alipjan Awut returned to his hometown and became a tennis coach at an amateur sports school.

As part of efforts to make tennis more accessible, Karamay expanded its facilities. A sport once constrained by a lack of courts now has nearly 40 venues across parks, communities and schools, some capable of hosting national competitions.

Alipjan Awut has become busier than ever. More than 100 young players now train at his school, many of whom discovered tennis through short tennis programs offered at local schools.

"Those with potential will be selected for our elite training group, and they do not need to pay any fees," he said.

Among the young players he coaches, one stands out: Alfudin Hasimjan, his younger cousin. Before turning 7, Alfudin Hasimjan had never seriously played any sport, but he quickly fell in love with tennis.

"I don't know why, but I feel like I have some talent for tennis," the youngster said with a smile.

At 14, Alfudin Hasimjan is already over 1.8 meters tall and has won titles in his age group in Xinjiang. He spends almost every summer day on the court, where the intense Gobi sun has left him deeply tanned, but his passion remains undiminished.

"It is a sport under the sun," Alipjan Awut said. "Whether they play for fun or dream of going further, we hope children can stay active. That is what we want to achieve."

As more young players picked up rackets, tennis became increasingly embedded in Karamay's sporting identity. The city has since been recognized by Chinese tennis media as one of the places with the greatest potential for the sport's growth.