by sportswriter Sun Zhe
URUMQI, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Karamay's name, derived from the Uygur language, means "black oil," reflecting the resource that shaped the city's development.
Rising from a remote stretch of the vast Gobi Desert, the city grew around its oil fields and developed into a modern industrial hub.
Beneath the vast skies of this once-isolated city, another passion has taken root. Over the decades, tennis has grown from a pastime for a small circle of enthusiasts into an established part of local sporting culture, turning Karamay into an unlikely center for the sport in inland China.
SEED TAKES ROOT
Karamay, in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is one of modern China's most important energy bases. With a population of fewer than 500,000, the city is home to Xinjiang Oilfield, which has maintained annual crude oil production of more than 10 million tonnes for 24 consecutive years.
Like many of his peers, Alipjan Awut grew up in a family connected to the oil industry.
Inspired by the teamwork and determination of the oil workers around him, he found joy in pursuing a common goal on the football pitch. As a midfielder, he led attacks and captained his primary school team.
"Football is a team sport. It tests cooperation and brings different people together," said the 36-year-old. "But nothing can surpass tennis in my heart."
As oil workers from across China settled in the Gobi city, they brought with them their lifestyles and hobbies. Since the 1980s, tennis has gradually taken root in Karamay, growing from a pastime among a small group of enthusiasts into a sport embraced by the wider community.
At 12, Alipjan got his first taste of tennis when a PE teacher spotted his athletic ability and invited him to pick up a racket for Karamay's first citywide school tennis competition.
"At that time, we didn't even have our own rackets. The school provided them. I just thought it was fun," Alipjan recalled.
After just over a month of training, he finished fifth in the city competition, turning his initial curiosity into a lifelong passion.
With few professional coaches available, Alipjan found his own ways to improve. Whenever a tennis tournament was broadcast on television, he would sit in front of the screen, studying every detail of the players' movements, footwork and technique.
The sport also took him beyond his hometown. During school holidays, coaches brought young players from Karamay to eastern Chinese cities with stronger tennis programs, where the team often drew curious looks.
"They were often surprised to see players from Xinjiang on the tennis court," Alipjan said. "We knew there was a gap, but we wanted to change that perception."
GROWING UNDER SUN
After graduating from university, Alipjan returned to his hometown and became a tennis coach at an amateur sports school.
As part of efforts to make tennis more accessible, Karamay expanded its facilities. A sport once constrained by a lack of courts now has nearly 40 venues across parks, communities and schools, some capable of hosting national competitions.
Alipjan has become busier than ever. More than 100 young players now train at his school, many of whom discovered tennis through short tennis programs offered at local schools.
"Those with potential will be selected into our elite training group, and they do not need to pay any fees," he said.
Among the young players he coaches, one stands out: Alfudin Hasimjan, his younger cousin. Before turning seven, Alfudin had never seriously played any sport, but he quickly fell in love with tennis.
"I don't know why, but I feel like I have some talent for tennis," the youngster said with a smile.
At 14, Alfudin is already over 1.8 meters tall and has won titles in his age group in Xinjiang. He spends almost every summer day on the court, where the intense Gobi sun has left him deeply tanned, but his passion remains undiminished.
"It is a sport under the sun," Alipjan said. "Whether they play for fun or dream of going further, we hope children can stay active. That is what we want to achieve."
As more young players picked up rackets, tennis became increasingly embedded in Karamay's sporting identity. The city has since been recognized by Chinese tennis media as one of the places with the greatest potential for the sport's growth.
BEYOND THE GOBI
At the ongoing 15th Xinjiang Games, nine regions sent under-18 players across two age groups, marking a record turnout. Karamay remains a strong force, but its dominance is facing growing challenges.
Once numbering fewer than 50 players, Xinjiang's youth tennis community has now grown to about 500, with specialized clubs emerging to provide greater support for the next generation.
"Urumqi, the regional capital, is developing quickly, with more courts, coaches and families embracing tennis," Alipjan said. "I'm not worried. The more people play, the stronger Xinjiang tennis will become."
Still, Alipjan knows Karamay has a long way to go to reach the level of the world's leading tennis regions. For him, that gap has always been motivation to improve.
In 2024, Alipjan became a senior coach certified by the Chinese Tennis Association. For him, building a tennis ecosystem in Karamay remains a long-term endeavor.
"Honestly, it is a long process," he said. "But one day, I hope players from my team can also step out of Xinjiang and represent this region on a bigger stage." ■
