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Lars Hamer

Local tennis officials are banking on a gold medal at the National Games in November to strengthen the sport’s claim to keep its elite status at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.
The tennis events will be contested at the Hengqin International Tennis Centre in Zhuhai, with medals up for grabs in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Previously, a sport needed to have been represented in three of the past four or the next two Olympics or Asian Games to qualify for elite funding from the institute.
However, in March, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui revealed the previous criteria for gaining Tier A standing had been reviewed, and the “good recent performances” in tennis had saved the sport from funding cuts.
“Securing a gold medal at the National Games will bring us a step closer to reaffirming our elite status from HKSI and demonstrate that Hong Kong elite performance tennis is making steady progress on the national and international stage,” Steven Host, the Hong Kong head coach, said.

But the city will face stiff competition from some of the world’s best players.
In the women’s competitions, the biggest name by far is Olympic singles champion Zheng Qinwen, although doubts remain over whether the 23-year-old, who will represent Hubei province, will feature at the tournament.
She has missed nearly three months on the WTA Tour after elbow surgery, and in her first tournament back at the end of September, retired because of pain in that joint.
Regardless, China still has world No 62 Wang Xinyu, competing for Guangdong, and seven other players ranked in the top 200. Hong Kong, on the other hand, has Cody Wong Hong-yi at world No 444 and Eudice Chong, ranked 622.
“It is an opportunity to compete against the very best and to, hopefully, medal and bring glory back home, and to inspire the next generation of national team representatives,” Host said.
“The goal should always be to aim for a medal, and we believe we have a good team and have the right support structure to do well.
“We will be competing in the team event for the U20 division with some of our top junior players, and we have a strong team and then the individual events with the likes of Coleman Wong, Eudice Chong and Cody Wong.”
Coleman Wong Chak-lam, who reached the third round of the US Open this season, an unprecedented feat by a Hongkonger in the modern era, is clearly the city’s best chance at glory.
His chances have been bolstered by China’s best men suffering from a season plagued by injuries, which has seriously hampered their form and seen their world rankings drop significantly.
Beijing’s Jerry Shang Juncheng has missed most of the season with a foot injury, and where once he occupied a career-high position as world No 48, he is now No 218, some 60 places below Wong.
China’s two highest-ranked players are Zhejiang’s Bu Yunchaokete, No 115, and world No 175 Wu Yibing – another player whose career has been blighted by injury and who Wong has beaten before.
Zhang Zhizhen, also known as Triple Z, will represent Shanghai. He was once No 31 in the world, but is now 386.
Wong, on the other hand, heads into the National Games on the back of his best season ever, having progressed to the third round of the Miami Open and US Open.
“If [Wong] were to go deep and even win it, it would reflect really, really well for him here,” James Allemby, Wong’s coach, said.
“The competition is going to be great. There are a few really good dudes that are going, so from that aspect it’s great.”
When asked if, given the quality of China’s men at the moment, Wong could make it to the semi-finals or even the final, Allemby said: “Sure, why not?”


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China

Hong Kong

Tennis

National Games success could be crucial to sport maintaining it’s Tier A status at the Hong Kong Sports Institute


National Games success could be crucial to sport maintaining it’s Tier A status at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.


National Games: Hong Kong tennis chiefs hope golden November will boost sport’s elite status

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}National Games success could be crucial to sport maintaining it’s Tier A status at the Hong Kong Sports Institute

National Games success could be crucial to sport maintaining it’s Tier A status at the Hong Kong Sports Institute