Feng Chenchen from China takes part in the 2018 ITF Women's Circuit tournament. [Photo/ xmnn.cn]

The 2018 International Tennis Federation Women's Circuit tournament started in Xiamen, Fujian province on Feb 24, its first stop in China, local media reported on Feb 26.

Over 160 players from about 20 countries and regions have signed up for it, of which Sabina Sharipova from Uzbekistan, ranking 137th in the world, is the competition's top seeded player.

The contest consists of singles and doubles draws with total prize money of $15,000 and winners of the two events are expected to be awarded on March 4.

The Circuit is the best women's professional tennis contest ever held in the coastal city and is organized by China's top tennis official, Sports Bureau of Fujian Province and Xiamen's sports agency.

The other three stops in China are Zhuhai (March 3 to 11), Shenzhen (March 10 to 18) and Nanjing (March 17 to April 8).

There are several hundred ITF Women's Circuit tournaments each year, spread across all six inhabited continents, with prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.

Players who succeed on the ITF Women's Circuit earn sufficient points to be eligible for qualifying draw or main draw entry to Women's Tennis Association tournaments.