Monica Puig's fundraising goal of $25,000 to help those in Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Maria has already been exceeded.

Puig announced her campaign to generate funds to provide aid in the wake of the storm, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 13 people on the US island territory.

The amount raised now stands at just under $40,000, with Puig having revised the target up to $50,000 after her initial goal was surpassed in just 24 hours.

Puig, who won Puerto Rico's first Olympic gold medal with victory in the women's singles final at Rio 2016, said from the Wuhan Open: "Tennis is so small and life is so precious. It doesn't matter what I'm doing here out on the court.

"It's important to me because it's my career. there's a big picture and there's so many people going through so much more than just winning or losing a tennis match.

"I can say that 100 per cent of my heart is with Puerto Rico and I really wish that they come back bigger and stronger from this. 

"My initial goal was $25,000...and [it] made me extremely emotional to see that so many people care and so many people have reached out."