Garcia's warm Wuhan welcome

The cream of women's tennis is in town, but Wuhan residents weren't expecting to see any of the players standing next to them on public transport.

That's exactly what happened on Monday when world No 4 and 2017 Wuhan Open champion Caroline Garcia of France stepped onto a tram ferrying spectators to Optics Valley International Tennis Center, where the Premier 5 WTA tournament is taking place until Saturday.

"I have some great memories from last year, but it doesn't really feel like 12 months ago," said Garcia, whose tram ride was part of the tournament's fan interaction initiative.

"I had a very warm welcome when I got to the airport and to the hotel. It was definitely nice to return as the defending champion."

Wuhan holds a special place in Garcia's heart because her three-set victory over Australia's Ashleigh Barty in last year's final was her first Premier 5 singles title.

"I struggled my way to the final in Wuhan, and the match against Ashleigh was such a drama," said Garcia.

"The championship was important because it gave me confidence. I achieved one of my goals and no one is going to take it away from me."

Garcia, who was scheduled to open her defense against the Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova on Tuesday night, certainly got into the holiday mood during her tram journey, wishing fans a "happy Mid-Autumn Festival" in Chinese and handing out mooncakes.

Tournament organizers are offering free transport to the venue for ticketholders, and while Garcia said she rarely gets the opportunity to take trams herself, she praised the free rides as an excellent promotional strategy.

Since its inception in 2014, the Wuhan Open has done its utmost to make tennis a calling card of the city, and this year has been no different.

On the weekend, Wuhan's very own two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na hit shots with world No 6 Elina Svitolina on a floating court in the middle of the city's East Lake.

More intriguing promotional events are planned this week, including a junior tennis workshop with Judy Murray, mother of men's star Andy Murray and a former British Fed Cup captain, as well as more appearances by Li, who serves as the tournament's global ambassador.