Why big events in China are choosing Laykold
From the Chengdu ATP 250 to the Wuhan WTA 1000, China trusts Laykold.
During the 2025 season, Laykold, alongside our expert installer UHS, is providing the court surface for four major WTA and ATP events in China over the course of a single month. Starting with the Chengdu ATP 250, a key fixture on the Asian swing, from 17-23 September, followed by two WTA 125 events in Jingshan and Suzhou, and culminating with the Wuhan WTA 1000 from 6-12 October, Laykold is the court trusted to deliver the playing surface at some of China’s biggest stops on the tour. The move towards Laykold is being driven by a commitment to higher-quality courts, greater consistency and an elevated player and fan experience.
Laykold x UHS at the Chengdu ATP 250
The Chengdu Open is an ATP 250 event staged at the 32 court Sichuan International Tennis Center and has been in play since 2016. Home of the giant panda, a 6,000-seat center court and the first Chinese event to crown an ATP home champion when Shang Juncheng took the title in 2024, it is a highly celebrated stop on the Asian swing. Its courts are now being raised to meet the event’s growing stature.
UHS’ Fan Yunhua speaking from the 2025 renovation of the Chengdu Open arena, explained:
“Our focus is on the upgrade of the arena to meet world class ITF standards and we specially chose Laykold for the job as the leading hardcourt product which has been trusted and chosen by major events around the world.
Laykold ensures that the highest court standards can be reached, delivering consistent court pace and slip resistance.
Our upgrade of the stadium will become a solid stage for the action at the Chengdu Open 2025. We believe that an excellent surface system is the foundation for a top-tier tennis event.”
Laykold paves the way for future stars at Jingshan and Suzhou WTA 125 events
The Chengdu Open is followed by two WTA 125 events; the Jingshan Tennis Open from 22-28 September and the Suzhou WTA 125 from 29 September to 5 October. Held at the Jingshan International Tennis Tournament Center in Hubei and the new tennis center at the Yangcheng Lake Peninsula Tourist Resort in SIP respectively, the tournaments are established pathway events for up-and-coming stars. Both will sport Laykold courts, installed by UHS’s expert local teams bringing a new level of pace precision and consistency to the tournaments.
“We specially chose Laykold for the job as the leading hardcourt product which has been trusted and chosen by major events around the world.”
Laykold non-stop consistency culminates with the Wuhan WTA 1000
The month of non-stop Laykold events across China culminates in the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open from 6-12 October. The eighth edition of the WTA 1000 event will be played for the second consecutive year on Laykold courts at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center and marks a crucial stop in the calendar as the final WTA 1000 of the season and a qualifier for the WTA finals. The event attracts the female game’s biggest stars including three - time winner Aryna Sabalenka, world #2 Iga Swiatek, the USA’s Coco Gauff (#3) and local fans' focus, Zheng Qinwen (#9).
It is crucial that all seven hardcourts, including the Centre Court stadium that can host up to 15,000 fans, deliver the pace precision and consistency required for world-class play.
Former pro, coach and Laykold court expert Scott Windus explains:
“Court consistency comes down to a great product and highly skilled installation teams. Laykold’s sand science means we can dial in the desired friction between ball and court to deliver pace precision that is 10 x more consistent than the industry standard. The local expertise and skill of our installation partner, UHS ensures that this Grand Slam quality and consistency is achieved within and across all our Chinese events.”
Grand Slam quality driving Laykold’s dominance in China
Where balls, rackets, shoes, nutrition, training have long been in the spotlight when it comes to tennis performance, the playing surface has been more easily overlooked. But thanks to greater innovation and awareness, this is changing. As the Official Surface of the US Open, Laykold is backed by an unrivalled commitment to R&D and the biggest expert installation network in the world.
At a regional level, particularly in China, this is driving expectations and a new court standard.
Polytan’s General Manager for China, Janet Goh, who is spearheading Laykold’s partnerships with UHS and the growing portfolio of Chinese events has experienced the shift away from substandard imitation products to proven, world class systems:
“With innovations in hardcourt performance from pace precision to green technology, tennis around the world and in China is starting to appreciate the impact of higher quality courts. Laykold is at the forefront of this movement and we’re delighted to be bringing US Open quality and consistency to China across four major tennis events in the region.”
As the players step out across the China swing, they can trust the surface beneath their feet. Good luck to all the tournaments, players and coaches involved.
