The International Tennis Federation (ITF) women's tennis circuit has made its debut in Hunan province when the qualification round started on Saturday.

With the prize money of 50,000 US dollars, the biggest of the kind in the ITF women's circuit, ITF has signed a five-year contract with the local government and the Chinese Tennis Association.

The seven-day competition attracted about 140 women players from more than 20 countries and regions, in which the 77th-ranked Cho Yoon-Jeong from South Korea is the top seed.

As the best players in China, Zheng Jie, world No. 94, 141st- ranked Sun Tiantian and No. 179 Yan Zi led other 20 younger qualifiers into the event.

Sun Wenming, official of the local sports bureau, said: "We hope that the circuit can bring up more Chinese women talents for the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games."

The ITF circuit will have its last two stops of the year in Shenzhen, South China and Bangkok, Thailand.

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