LONDON -- The WTA is expanding its audience reach in China for the 2025 season following a new deal announced by WTA Ventures and Tencent. The agreement means that Tencent’s digital platforms will offer coverage from every tournament on the Hologic WTA Tour through to the season-ending WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF in November, including all WTA 250s, 500s and 1000s, except events played in Chinese mainland.
The deal comes at a time of soaring popularity for tennis in China and growing success at the top of the women’s game. There are now five Chinese singles players in the Top 100 of the PIF WTA Rankings headed by World No. 8 and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who won two WTA titles in 2024 and reached the singles final in her first appearance at the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF.
The agreement with Tencent is the latest in a series of deals with media partners and sponsors secured by WTA Ventures as part of its strategy to accelerate commercial growth and drive investment in women’s tennis. In its first full year of operation, WTA Ventures increased revenue by 25% in 2024 to set a new record for the WTA’s commercial revenue and put it on course for its long-term goal of tripling commercial revenue by 2029.
Marina Storti, CEO of WTA Ventures, said:
“Tennis is booming in China with a new generation of WTA players climbing the rankings and winning millions of fans. We are delighted that Chinese audiences will have more ways than ever to follow the drama of the 2025 WTA season on Tencent’s digital platforms, and we look forward to working with Tencent to grow the WTA’s impact in this important market. This is a great way for WTA Ventures to begin the new year as we look to build on the strong progress achieved during 2024 and continue the global growth of women’s tennis.”
Jeff Han, VP of Tencent Online Video, said:
“The cooperation between Tencent and the WTA is eagerly anticipated. By leveraging the strengths of Tencent's multi-platforms, we will provide tennis fans in China with more extensive channels and an enhanced viewing experience. And through creative online interactions and compelling storytelling of Chinese tennis players, we aim to increase audience engagement and generate social buzz around the events. We firmly believe that this partnership will significantly impact WTA events and contribute to the development of tennis in the Chinese market.”
Matches from the 2025 Hologic WTA Tour season will be available for streaming on all Tencent digital platforms including Tencent Video, Tencent Sports, Tencent News and WeChat. The deal covers both live and delayed matches, as well as match clips, for audiences in China (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Chinese Taipei).
