With tennis in China shifting from an elite pastime to a mass sport driven by community engagement, facility upgrades and global collaboration, Swiss sportswear brand On is stepping up efforts to strengthen grassroots participation and pay tribute to the unsung heroes who have long supported the sport behind the scenes.

As a result, On hosted a "Thanks for Playing" event in Shanghai, where tennis legend and company entrepreneur Federer highlighted the contributions of those who have long supported the sport's development in China.

Together, they unveiled the newly renovated tennis courts at the Xuhui District First Youth Amateur Sports School in the city, marking another milestone in the sport's grassroots development.

Liu Yunzhi, a veteran contributor to China's tennis progress, from being a professional player and referee to becoming a tennis court builder, also attended the event.

Over the past 27 years, Liu and her team have constructed and renovated more than 4,000 professional tennis courts across China, and they applied that knowhow to the upgrading of the courts at Xuhui district.

Federer said Liu has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep China's courts in excellent condition, an effort he described as vital to every player's success. The 20-time grand slam winner noted that a good court is essential to the game, adding, "Without it, there's no fun, no matches, no tennis."

According to Federer, there are now many more cities across China eager to host tennis events, which is an encouraging sign. This growing enthusiasm will undoubtedly help promote the sport nationwide and nurture more world-class players capable of shining on the global stage, he said.

"Given China's strength and vast potential, it would be wonderful to see tennis superstars emerging from here," the Swiss veteran added.

Rebecca Cai, On general manager for the Asia-Pacific region, said that supporting tennis development at the grassroots level is vital.

"The true essence of sport lies not only in the moments of glory on the court, but also in the dedication and hard work of those who quietly drive its development behind the scenes," she said.

Wednesday's Shanghai event was On's second edition of "Thanks for Playing" in China, which the company says underlines its commitment to supporting tennis development and creating meaningful experiences that inspire players of all levels.

The first event, held last year, welcomed young participants from Wild Elephant — a tennis club dedicated to training children in Yunnan province — who were given the opportunity to play alongside Federer.