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Serving up change: The mum who picked up a racket to bring tennis to the Chinese community

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When Swansea tennis player Mimi Xu competed at Wimbledon this summer, she inspired young players across Wales, and particularly in the nation’s Chinese communities. 

But behind the scenes, another female role model is making just as big a difference. Her name is Weixin Liu. And while she may not be blazing a trail internationally, she’s changing lives on community courts week in, week out.

Who is Weixin Liu?

Weixin is a mum of three and moved to Swansea in 2004. Twenty years later, she is serving up tennis opportunities for the Chinese community. And, as a female role model, she’s inspiring lots of women and girls into the game. 

Driven by her experiences of arriving in a new city with little support, her aim is to overcome isolation and improve wellbeing. 

By day, she works at the Chinese in Wales Association. In her free time, she runs ‘She Can’ tennis classes for women and girls in Swansea.

What makes this story even more remarkable is that she had never held a racket before. Yet she has now qualified as a Level 1 Coach.

Tennis players raise their rackets in the air as they pose for a photo
Weixin Liu (left) with tennis players at the Chinese in Wales Association.

Building a community on the tennis court

The ‘She Can’ sessions in Swansea have been such a success that – together with the Chinese in Wales Association - Weixin has organised taster sessions in Cardiff, with plans to develop regular opportunities. 

Since launching adult and youth classes, around 400 people have stepped on court. Nearly half of those are female, no doubt inspired by Weixin’s own journey. 

Top tennis coach Ellinore Lightbody is also on board to provide expert coaching. Lightbody is not only a former Wales national coach, but she has also helped nurture Mimi Xu’s skills since the star was just seven years old. 

Now, children, parents and even grandparents in their seventies all look forward to their weekly slice of tennis.

What barriers did Weixin Liu want to overcome?

Weixin recognised that parents – especially mums - in the Chinese community face challenges when it comes to taking part in local activities.

These include: 

  • Childcare challenges
  • Language barriers
  • Transport issues
  • High costs

She saw how these obstacles could lead to isolation, limiting opportunities to connect with others.

The difference Weixin has served up

Driven to make a difference, Weixin set out to create something more accessible. Today, she helps foster a support network within the Chinese community – and it is all served up on the tennis court.

The tennis sessions are helping to:

  • bring the Chinese community closer together, reducing isolation
  • build confidence on the tennis court so that children have more confidence to play at school, making it easier to integrate
  • provide physical activity opportunities at a low cost
  • nurture leadership skills as young people become volunteer helpers

Weixin says the tennis sessions are vital for happiness too: 

It can be hard for people with a language barrier to make friends. That’s why I love to see families and couples coming together at the tennis sessions and making friends. They don’t have to concentrate on understanding what’s being said – it’s easy and natural and they can focus on having fun.
Weixin Liu

Backed by Tennis Wales

Weixin enlisted the support of Tennis Wales and its Tie Break Fund. It supports projects with funding which takes tennis to new audiences across Wales.

The fund supports project for:

  • Women and girls
  • People with disabilities
  • Ethnically diverse communities
  • LGBTQ+ communities
  • Areas of socio-economic deprivation

The project has also been backed by funding from Welsh Government and the Anti Racist Wales Action Plan.

A young girl has her eye on the ball as she goes to volley it at the net
A girl runs towards a tennis ball with her racket
A coach is demonstrating how to hold a racket to a woman who mimicks her stance.
An old woman prepares to hit the tennis ball
A young girl has her eye on the ball as she goes to volley it at the net
A girl runs towards a tennis ball with her racket
A coach is demonstrating how to hold a racket to a woman who mimicks her stance.
An old woman prepares to hit the tennis ball
A young girl has her eye on the ball as she goes to volley it at the net
A girl runs towards a tennis ball with her racket
A coach is demonstrating how to hold a racket to a woman who mimicks her stance.
An old woman prepares to hit the tennis ball

Why inclusive tennis matters

Without these sessions, the Chinese in Wales Association say the community would be very unlikely to join a tennis club.

In fact, the School Sport Survey 2022 revealed that:

  • just 30% of Asian schoolchildren take part in sport outside of school three or more times a week. This compares to 39% of all schoolchildren.
  • only 22% of Asian schoolgirls take part in extracurricular sport or community club sport at least three or more times a week, compared to 36% of all schoolchildren
  • 53% of Asian schoolgirls don’t take part in regular sporting activities outside of school, compared to 36% of all schoolchildren
  • yet 94% of Asian schoolgirls want to do more sport.

What do Tennis Wales bosses say?

“The She Can project from the Chinese in Wales Association in Swansea is a standout initiative,” says Stuart Baker of Tennis Wales. 

At Tennis Wales, we’re passionate about encouraging more women and girls to pick up a racket and about creating more tennis opportunities for ethnically diverse communities across Wales.
Stuart Baker, Tennis Wales

"Our vision is ‘Tennis Opened Up’ because we believe anyone can play - all communities and backgrounds are welcome on court, whatever their motivation or ability.”

“That’s why supporting ‘She Can’ through our Tie Break Fund made perfect sense – the project directly supports those goals”

“Weixin is a real driving force and, as someone who only picked up a tennis racket in recent years, her own personal journey is really inspiring to women and girls.

“We were delighted to support Weixin - she’s a fantastic female role model and we can’t wait to see what she achieves next.”

Want to smash barriers?

Weixin Liu’s positive attitude and determination is introducing people to tennis, who may not otherwise take part in sport at all.

If your organisation has an idea to support diverse communities, find out what funding is available for your club by contacting your National Governing Body.

Or you could get National Lottery Funding through the Be Active Wales Fund to help you bring your idea to life.

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