The Women's Tennis Association bids farewell to Zhuhai this fall after having established the city as an attractive young venue for the sport strong enough to attract the men, who are coming in September.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has announced that Zhuhai will host the ATP World Tour 250 Zhuhai Championships from 2019 onward, according to Huafa Sports Operations Management.

The Zhuhai Championships is to replace the Shenzhen Open in the same slot and start a three-week Asian swing along with the Chengdu Open. Twenty-eight male single and 16 doubles players will vie for a prize pool of $1 million, 27 percent larger than the Shenzhen event's, at the Hengqin International Tennis Center from Sept 23 to 29.

ATP International Executive Vice President Alison Lee, herself a former Hong Kong journalist, said: "I am sure the players will enjoy their time in the city and playing at the magnificent Zhuhai Hengqin Tennis Center. … I believe that male players will reap good memories in this romantic seaside city and in the event."

Leon Sun, tournament director, added, "As the only ATP world tournament in Southern China, we warmly welcome all the fans including from Hong Kong and Macao to enjoy great tennis in the new and modern venue."

Huafa International Tennis Center [Photo courtesy nanfangplus]

Thanks to the WTA, the Hengqin facility has attracted widespread accolades and has been highly recognized for both facilities and operations since 2015. As the five-year contract expires, the final edition of the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai is scheduled from Oct 22 to 27 with total prize money of $2.35 million.

On the other hand, founded in 1972, ATP is the most prestigious organization for male professional players. Since 1990, it has organized the ATP Tour, which is now top-tier worldwide. The ATP Tour 250 series forms part of the tour along with the ATP Finals, ATP Tour Masters 1000, ATP Tour 500 series, and ATF Challenger Tour.