Two more WTA events for China

Nation's No 1 looking forward to new tournament in Wuhan next year

Li Na's wish to stay at home more during the busy WTA season has come true as two tournaments will move to China next year.

The hype surrounding the new events grew in the Chinese media after last week's Shenzhen Open and delighted China's top players, like Li and Peng Shuai, as they want to spend more time in the country.

The tournaments became official on Thursday when the WTA announced two events would be relocated to Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, and Hong Kong in 2014.

Wuhan, the hometown of current World No 6 and 2011 French Open champion Li, will host a Premier 5 event in Week 39; just before the China Open (Beijing).

The tournament will feature at least seven of the 2013 year-end top 10 players competing for more than $2 million in prize money and will replace the Toray Pan Pacific Open (Tokyo), which will celebrate an illustrious 30th and final anniversary this year.

Another International level event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will be relocated to Hong Kong in September 2014 and boost the number of WTA Asia-Pacific events in China to five of a total of 18. There is already a Premier Mandatory event in Beijing and Internationals in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

"It's a special city for me. I was born there and grew up there," Li said, adding that if her friends on the tour have time, "I want to show them around my hometown".

"It's also beneficial for the young guns as they will have more chances to see the world's best than we got 10 years ago."