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Paul Ryding

Hong Kong youngster Ng Kwan-yau is determined to make the most of her shot at making the main draw for the upcoming Hong Kong Tennis Open after being handed a coveted wild card slot to enter the qualifiers at Victoria Park.
“I’m aiming to qualify for the main draw, and I’m confident,” said Ng.
As well she should be. Hong Kong’s young players have performed excellently this term, and the 20-year-old was an integral part of the city’s heroic Fed Cup team that secured a superb promotion to group one of the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania zone with victory in Tajikistan earlier this year.
“I was involved with the great performances at the Fed Cup and it was good to see that we could overcome hard opponents,” she said.
“It made me more confident in Hong Kong tennis. The standards are improving all the time.”

Hong Kong overcame an early deficit to claim a 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan to secure their promotion.
Despite an excellent team performance in Central Asia, Ng was quick to pay tribute to the Hong Kong Tennis Association (HKTA), where she says standards have improved dramatically in recent times.
“There’s so much hard work being done,” she said. “There’s been much improvement from the HKTA, with improved coaching and facilities.
“There are always talented young players coming through.
“We’re seeing more and more good results, and the boys are winning medals, too.”
Strong showings at the World University Games in Taiwan where Hong Kong picked up a bronze medal in the men’s doubles, and more recently at the Asian Indoor Games where another men’s duo grabbed bronze, have put Hong Kong tennis on the map, at least regionally, and have given young players such as Ng the confidence to aim high.
Hong Kong make it back to group one of Fed Cup Asia/Oceania with gutsy win over Uzbekistan
“My short-term goal is to break into the top 300 in the world next year,” said Ng.
Another source of inspiration for young players was the grand slam-winning performance from American Sloane Stephens in New York last month.




Stephens, who is set to compete in Hong Kong next month, put an injury-devastated 12 months behind her on an incredible run to her maiden major title at Flushing Meadows and instantly became a source of inspiration for young players trying to find their way at the foot of the world rankings.
“I’m so looking forward to seeing Sloane Stephens,” said Ng. “To do what she did at the US Open was amazing.
“What she did gives you a lot of confidence and makes you feel that anything is possible, and that you have that chance to improve so much if you work hard.”
Guaranteed tennis bronze medal ensures Hong Kong their best-ever World University Games haul
But big goals can wait and, for now, the youngster is determined to enjoy a rare opportunity to play in front of friends and family in her home city.
“I don’t feel any pressure, I’m just going to enjoy it,” Ng said.
“I’ll enjoy playing in front of family and friends in Hong Kong as they don’t get to see me play often. I train outside Hong Kong a lot.”


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Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open

Up-and-coming tennis youngster Ng Kwan-yau takes inspiration from US Open champ Sloane Stephens as she seeks to make impact at Hong Kong Tennis Open

Ng Kwan-yau (left) pictured with the rest of the victorious Hong Kong Fed Cup team – Zhang Ling, Katherine Ip, Eudice Chong and captain Yu Hiu-tung. Photo: HKTA

Ng Kwan-yau, 16, is a part of the National Junior Team of Hong Kong Tennis Association. She is a form four student from Diocesan Girls' School. She will represent Hong Kong at the Nanjing Asian Youth Games. 22JUL13

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Li Na poses with the trophy after winning the 2014 Australian Open. Photo: AFP

Qiang Wang of China hits a return to Daria Kasatkina of Russia during their 2016 US Open Women's Singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on August 30, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / KENA BETANCUR

(160909) -- NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Angelique Kerber of Germany returns a ball to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during the women's singles semi-final match at the 2016 U.S. Open in New York, the United States, Sept. 8, 2016. Kerber won 2-0. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Aug 29, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Saisai Zheng of China returns a shot to Monica Puig of Puerto Rico on day one of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Zheng Saisai, of China, returns a shot to Kateryna Bondarenko, of Ukraine, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Hong Kong tennis chief determined to make city a must-visit for world's top stars once again

Venus Williams has played in Hong Kong many times and will return for the Prudential Hong Kong Open as organisers embark on lifting the game's profile again. Photo: AFP

Chris Lai is a former Davis Cup player. Photo: SCMP Pictures

HKTA chief executive Chris Lai is working hard to make the Hong Kong Open a top tournament.   

Hong Kong Tennis Open can be Asia's answer to Wimbledon or the Australian Open, say organisers  

Venus Williams, who bowed out in the semi-finals, was a crowd favourite at this year's Prudential Hong Kong Open. Photo: Xinhua

Serbian Jelena Jankovic, now ranked 22, kisses the trophy is elated after winning the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. She only agreed to compete on the eve of the tournament. Photo: Sam Tsang

Australian Sam Stosur was a crowd favourite during the tournament. Photo: Xinhua 

Johanna Konta, Kristina Mladenovic out of Hong Kong Tennis Open

Johanna Konta has been in dire form since her run to the Wimbledon semi-finals. Photo: AFP

(170924) -- WUHAN, Sept. 24, 2017(Xinhua) -- Kristina Mladenovic of France returns the ball during the singles' first round match against Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic at 2017 WTA Wuhan Open in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, on Sept. 24, 2017. Kristina Mladenovic lost 0-2. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)(wll)

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The 20-year-old is using the incredible performance by Sloane Stephens in New York as inspiration for a run at Victoria Park
