COURTS OF APPEAL

The China Open looks to tap its growing popularity to expand into the sport's unofficial 'fifth Slam'

Already the biggest and, arguably, the most influential tennis event in Asia, the China Open has set itself an even higher benchmark, as organizers roll out a strategic roadmap to build it into an unofficial "fifth Slam".

Of course, there's never been a serious discussion by the International Tennis Federation of adding a fifth showpiece event to the longstanding four majors.