While most consumer goods industries such as luxury goods and beauty are seeing hampered growth, China’s summer sports market is expanding. The 2024 Paris Olympic Games have further intensified discussions around sports, especially around racket sports in China. In addition to traditional sports like table tennis and badminton, Zheng Qinwen’s (郑钦文) outstanding performance in women’s singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics has sparked a “Tennis Fever”. Moreover, niche racket sports such as pickleball and squash are gaining popularity among young people in first-tier cities.
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Badminton and table tennis remain the top racket sports in China
In China, table tennis and badminton remain the traditional dominant racquet sports. According to our social listening analysis of over 134 million posts from Douyin, Xiaohongshu and Weibo, table tennis athletes garnered the most online traction during the summer in 2024. Sun Yingsha (孙颖莎) was the most talked about athlete, with 21.7% of mentions, followed by Wang Chuqin (王楚钦) with 18.5%. Table tennis remains one of China’s most nationalized sports.
In addition, top table tennis players have become spokespersons for numerous brands, further increasing the popularity of the sport. Sun Yingsha (孙颖莎) endorses well-known brands such as Hisense and Coca-Cola, while Wang Chuqin (王楚钦) is associated with Coca-Cola and Yili. This phenomenon has not only increased the popularity of table tennis, but also enhanced public enthusiasm for the sport.
Badminton remains popular, ranking as the second mentioned racket sports on Chinese social media, with a 34% y-o-y increase in mentions on social media.
Growing investment in tennis among young people
This summer, tennis player Zheng Qinwen (郑钦文) won the country’s first-ever gold medal in women’s singles of 2024 Paris Olympics, while Zhang Zhizhen (张之臻) and Wang Xinyu (王欣瑜) claimed the first mixed doubles silver medal for Chinese tennis. As a result, more teenagers and adults are setting aside cost concerns and actively participating in the sport. Despite challenges in the youth tennis market in China, including limited infrastructure, a shortage of qualified coaches, and high training costs, more and more parents consider registering their 10-18 year old children to learn tennis.
According to iiMedia Research, the number of tennis players in China will reach 23.81 million in 2024, making it the country with the second most tennis players after the United States. Liu Fengning, director of China Tennis Association and CEO of Hong Jindi Sports, said in an interview that Shenzhen and other first-tier cities have a strong demand for tennis courts and training, with a single court usage fee between RMB 100 and 500, and an ordinary coach’s fee between RMB 300 and 600. More and more people are willing to invest money and time in tennis.
Tennis is more than a sport, it’s fashion
Tennis is also reshaping China’s fashion scene. On Xiaohongshu, the #网球穿搭 (tennis outfit) hashtag has reached 180M views, showing people’s attention to tennis fashion. The customized Nike T-shirt worn by Zheng Qinwen (郑钦文) during the Paris Olympics has been selling like hotcakes on Tmall, with more than 1,000 pieces sold. Especially the category of tennis dresses has become loved by young women and has become a symbol of sports fashion. Take the Varsity tennis skirt of lululemon‘s Tmall flagship store as an example, which is priced at RMB 750 and sold more than 2,000 pieces, reflecting the strong purchasing power of female consumers in sports apparel.
Niche racket sports in China are gaining more attention
Pickleball takes over China
Pickleball, a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is rapidly gaining popularity due to its simple rules and social nature. It has surpassed 5 million participants in China, and this number is expected to continue to grow through 2024. Although pickleball experienced significant triple growth during the spring and summer seasons of 2023, the number of social media posts related to it declined by 17% during the same period in 2024. This phenomenon may indicate that the popularity of pickleball is waning.
Squash becomes more accessible with new courts
Originating in England in the 19th century, squash has had a long history of evolution, finally becoming an official sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It is also bringing new opportunities for the promotion of squash in China. Squash is still a niche sport now, limited by the conditions of venues and market influence. But with more and more colleges and universities such as Beijing University and Shanghai Sports Institute setting up squash associations, the number of participants is gradually rising.
Rackets sports are diversifying – more niche options yet valuable
Racket sports in China is evolving rapidly, with tennis gaining unprecedented momentum thanks to recent Olympic achievements, especially among younger audiences. Table tennis and badminton remain cultural staples, driving sponsorship and high visibility on social media. However, tennis is now capturing mainstream interest, as evidenced by rising participation rates and robust demand for courts and training, particularly in cities like Shenzhen. Meanwhile, niche sports such as pickleball and squash are emerging as social and lifestyle activities, appealing to urban youth. As interest diversifies, the racket sports market is poised for growth, signaling opportunities for infrastructure expansion, enhanced training programs, and integration with lifestyle sectors like sports fashion.
