In 1991, Stacey Allaster wrote a thesis at the University of Ontario discussing David Stern's success in running the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Now, as the NBA has gripped the hearts of the millions of Chinese youngsters and has proven to be the most successful foreign sports association in China, Allaster, the newly-promoted chief executive of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tour, is aiming to emulate the NBA's success here.

"I have been following the success of David Stern since the beginning of my career," Allaster said at the sidelines of the China Open, which concluded last night in Beijing.