MELBOURNE - The Australian Open has stepped up efforts to lure Chinese tennis fans to Melbourne Park by boosting telecast and sponsorship deals.

More than 59 million Chinese tuned in to watch the Australian Open in 2017 - up by more than 84 percent on the year before - and organizers are banking on viewership numbers rising again.

The Grand Slam has expanded a long - term relationship with Chinese digital broadcaster iQIYI to 2021, and launched a five - year deal with premium mineral water supplier Ganten.

It has four Chinese broadcasters as partners and a year round social media team on Wechat and Weibo.

Australia is hoping the country's premier tennis event will turn viewers into visitors from what is soon to be its biggest tourism market.

"Events like the Australian Open play a particularly important role in encouraging repeat visits," said Leo Seaton, general manager of media at Tourism Australia.

"They also provide a great platform to showcase Australia internationally through the huge TV audience and the destination content that is woven into these broadcasts."

As part of its plan to attract more visitors, organizers have hooked up with online China travel agent Ctrip. They attribute a similar deal in Japan, which allowed fans to book online in their own language, as helping to double Japanese visitors last year.

China has said that its sports industry should contribute 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2025, a fact not lost on organizers who plan to launch the first AO Academy in China this year, as well as a 'Tennis for Schools' program in Chengdu.

It's part of a broader move by the sport onthe mainland. On Thursday, the southern metropolis of Shenzhen was announced as the new venue for the season - ending WTA Finals from 2019 - 28.

"Clearly the China Open does very well. The Wuhan event grew this year. Tianjin had some sellout crowds. There is growth," Steve Simon, WTA chairman and CEO said in Melbourne.

"There is still a lot of work that has to be done. We are very excited about the opportunity that Shenzhen brings,"

Shenzhen, which already hosts a WTA tournament in early January, will take over from Singapore on the back of a bid that included a promise to build a new 12,000 - seat downtown venue and double the prize money to $14 million.

Organizers are hoping to ride the groundswell of competition at a local level to build on the sport's broader appeal.

Australian Open first timers Cherry Leong, 40, and husband Terrence Leong, 54, waving a Chinese flag courtside, were not too disappointed after Zhang Shuai crashed out of the tournament, despite traveling from Hong Kong.

They were looking forward to watching other matches and immersing themselves in tennis culture during their visit.

"It's a shame that she lost. But we are looking forward to seeing (Australian 17th seed) Nick Kyrgios - he's always dramatic," Terrence Leong said.

Reuters