Editor's Note:
In October 2022, news of China's "Bamboo basket ethnic boy" Wang Fa winning a national tennis competition went viral, shining a spotlight on the Wild Elephant Tennis Club, the team he belonged to. Composed of young tennis players from ethnic minority groups in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, the club was established in 2014 as a charity tennis club. Since then, its members have won over 170 junior national tennis championships, garnering significant public attention.
How is the tennis team currently performing? After winning numerous national titles, what is the team's next goal? On Sunday, reporters from the Global Times visited the team in the city of Langfang in North China's Hebei Province. Twenty-nine members of the team between the ages of 6 and 17 are living and training there.(Photos: Chen Tao)
Players of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club practice backhands and participate in flexibility training on March 5, 2023. Most of them are aged from 6 to 10 and came to Langfang in November 2022. They love to play “eagle catch chicken” on the tennis court after training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Players of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club practice backhands and participate in flexibility training on March 5, 2023. Most of them are aged from 6 to 10 and came to Langfang in November 2022. They love to play “eagle catch chicken” on the tennis court after training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Players of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club practice backhands and participate in flexibility training on March 5, 2023. Most of them are aged from 6 to 10 and came to Langfang in November 2022. They love to play “eagle catch chicken” on the tennis court after training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Players of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club practice backhands and participate in flexibility training on March 5, 2023. Most of them are aged from 6 to 10 and came to Langfang in November 2022. They love to play “eagle catch chicken” on the tennis court after training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Players of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club practice backhands and participate in flexibility training on March 5, 2023. Most of them are aged from 6 to 10 and came to Langfang in November 2022. They love to play “eagle catch chicken” on the tennis court after training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Players of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club practice backhands and participate in flexibility training on March 5, 2023. Most of them are aged from 6 to 10 and came to Langfang in November 2022. They love to play “eagle catch chicken” on the tennis court after training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
As part of their daily training, teenage players at the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are required to complete at least 7,000 serves. Most of them have been playing for six or seven years, and 10 of the 18 teenage players have won national tennis titles. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
As part of their daily training, teenage players at the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are required to complete at least 7,000 serves. Most of them have been playing for six or seven years, and 10 of the 18 teenage players have won national tennis titles. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
As part of their daily training, teenage players at the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are required to complete at least 7,000 serves. Most of them have been playing for six or seven years, and 10 of the 18 teenage players have won national tennis titles. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
As part of their daily training, teenage players at the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are required to complete at least 7,000 serves. Most of them have been playing for six or seven years, and 10 of the 18 teenage players have won national tennis titles. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
As part of their daily training, teenage players at the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are required to complete at least 7,000 serves. Most of them have been playing for six or seven years, and 10 of the 18 teenage players have won national tennis titles. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Beyond the tennis court, the players and coaches of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are more like a big family. The club was established by Coach Zhang Xiaohong to provide free training and life care for ethnic minority children. Six additional coaches live with the children, who enjoy playing instruments and studying outside of their tennis training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Beyond the tennis court, the players and coaches of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are more like a big family. The club was established by Coach Zhang Xiaohong to provide free training and life care for ethnic minority children. Six additional coaches live with the children, who enjoy playing instruments and studying outside of their tennis training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Beyond the tennis court, the players and coaches of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are more like a big family. The club was established by Coach Zhang Xiaohong to provide free training and life care for ethnic minority children. Six additional coaches live with the children, who enjoy playing instruments and studying outside of their tennis training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Beyond the tennis court, the players and coaches of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are more like a big family. The club was established by Coach Zhang Xiaohong to provide free training and life care for ethnic minority children. Six additional coaches live with the children, who enjoy playing instruments and studying outside of their tennis training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Beyond the tennis court, the players and coaches of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are more like a big family. The club was established by Coach Zhang Xiaohong to provide free training and life care for ethnic minority children. Six additional coaches live with the children, who enjoy playing instruments and studying outside of their tennis training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
The photo taken on March 5, 2023 shows teenage plays of Wild Elephant Tennis Club after their routine training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Li Jianchen (left) is fixing his twin brother Li Jianzhi's hair. They are from Chuxiong city in Yunnan and have been playing tennis for more than six years. Photo: Chen Tao/GT 
Beyond the tennis court, the players and coaches of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club are more like a big family. The club was established by Coach Zhang Xiaohong to provide free training and life care for ethnic minority children. Six additional coaches live with the children, who enjoy playing instruments and studying outside of their tennis training. Photo: Chen Tao/GT
