Wang Qiang, 26, and Zhang Shuai, 29, said confidence was now growing among Chinese players after a quiet spell since trailblazer Li, a two-time Grand Slam winner, retired in 2014.

Wang Qiang, ranked 24th, and 40th-placed Zhang head a list of four Chinese players in the current top 100, and there are 11 in the top 200 including 17-year-old US Open junior champion Wang Xiyu.

“Li Na has given us all a lot of hope,” Zhang said at the Hong Kong Open.

“When she won the Grand Slams, I think more people decided to try tennis and try to believe in themselves.”

She added: “Now we have so many tournaments in China I think a lot of young players have more opportunities to make a higher ranking.”

Zhang, who turned professional in 2006, said the game was now a big hit among Chinese fans. China has seven WTA Tour-level tournaments this year.

“For sure it’s more popular than it was five years ago because unlike with other sports, almost every week there is a big tournament,” she said.

Wang Qiang, seeded sixth in Hong Kong, said Li’s achievements stood as a “goal” for her career, and had kick-started the development of tennis in China.

“Other players are now doing really well, so I think China has a good future,” she said.