KEY POINTS:
With a little over eight months until the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the city's tennis authorities have been working to ensure they take full advantage of the legacy of the Games. The upgrading of the China Open and its relocation to the new US$40 million ($52.5 million) Olympic Tennis Centre for 2009 is part of a plan to make Beijing a world tennis centre.
First step was the acquisition of one of the WTA's new "crown jewel" events, four tournaments just below the grand slams in status, while the men's China Open will become an ATP 500 Series event in 2009.
- REUTERS
