A promising tennis player has the potential to become China's next Li Na, with her talent, foreign coaching and professional approach, observers say.

While Chinese tennis fans lament the recent retirement of Li, a two-time Grand Slam champion, teenager Xu Shilin's ascent to No 1 in the International Tennis Federation's world junior tennis rankings for girls has stolen the spotlight.

Xu, a 16-year-old right-hander, grabbed the top spot on Monday, days after winning the singles title at the World Super Junior Championships in Osaka.