Tennis: Peng to return for Classic

Peng Shuai approached tournament organisers to play at the ASB Classic again. Photo / Getty Images

Given the recent boom in Chinese women's tennis, it comes as little surprise that the second highest ranked player at next year's ASB Classic will be from the 'Middle Kingdom'.

World No17 Peng Shuai is returning to Auckland after her debut appearance this year and apparently didn't take much arm-twisting. She made the initial approach to tournament organisers and certainly didn't come with a barrel full of demands as have some other top 20 players.

"She was one of those rare gems," say ASB Classic tournament director Richard Palmer, "where there was almost no negotiations at all. Through her agent, she sent an email to us saying she had really enjoyed playing here and would she be able to come back. I didn't take long to reply."

Unlike Maria Sharapova, who apparently came with a list of demands as long as one of her legs, Peng's only request was for some extra accommodation to be provided, which Palmer happily obliged.

She will sit behind German Sabine Lisicki (world No15) in the draw, with former world No1 Venus Williams likely to require a wild card, as her ranking has ballooned out. Palmer says he still has "one more iron in the fire" in terms of another top-20 player but this is by no means a certainty.

Peng was a crowd favourite in 2011 and her unlikely run to the semifinals was one of the stories of the tournament. Coming in unseeded, she knocked out double Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova after being two breaks down in the third set, then pushed defending champion Yanina Wickmayer all the way in a three-set battle over nearly three hours.

"She attracted a big following last time and we are delighted to get her back," says Palmer. "She is quite engaging - smiley and friendly and seemed to hit it off with the crowds."

Peng has been a fixture in the top 100 for eight years but has enjoyed a breakthrough 2011. In January, she was ranked 72 after an injury-plagued 2010 but consistent performances saw her go as high as No14 in August, the second-highest ranking ever for a Chinese player, after Li Na.

Tennis is now big business in China with regular ATP and WTA events and ever increasing interest.

"I don't really consider myself famous but I do get recognised more now in China on the street [in] restaurants and especially at the airport," Peng told the Herald on Sunday. "Definitely there's more interest in tennis now in general. I think since 2004 when Li-Ting and Sun Tian Tian won the Olympic doubles, then Zheng Jie and Yan Zi won Grand Slam doubles titles, all the way till now, we have been consistently improving our level."

In terms of Auckland, the attractions are typical: "It's a beautiful city - I love the ocean, the street life and the restaurants." But she also notes the supportive spectators, saying she could feel "great energy" playing out on court.

Peng was born in Hunan and now lives in the bustling port city of Tianjin, a few hours north of Beijing.

She took up tennis at the age of eight but her career seemed in jeopardy when doctors discovered a heart defect four years later. Surgeons went through her left leg to repair her heart successfully.

"My family were against it and thought I was too young," she has said in the past, "but I knew it was the only way I could continue to play tennis. I didn't want to give up."

The 1.73m Peng has beaten many big names over the years, including Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova and Vera Zvonareva. She has banked more than US$3 million in prize money.

PENG SHUAI

* Age: 25.

* Turned professional: 2001.

* A lucky cow is a constant adornment on her tennis bag, as she was born in the Chinese year of the cow.