‘Firing on all cylinders’: Hong Kong tennis reprieved from doomsday-scenario funding cut
Association boss reveals axing from Tier A would have caused ‘significant cut’ in athlete support, says staging events ‘drives economic growth’
Removing elite status from Hong Kong tennis would have caused significant turbulence for a sport that is “firing on all cylinders”, according to the head of the local association.
Tennis had been threatened with demotion to Tier B standing at the city’s Sports Institute, until new eligibility criteria drawn up this week handed the sport a minimum two-year stay of execution.
Michael Cheng Ming-git, president of the Hong Kong, China Tennis Association (HKCTA), said Coleman Wong Chak-lam’s run to the third round of this week’s Miami Open was illustrative of Hong Kong tennis’ efforts in nurturing elite players.
He also backed the idea that a sport should be rewarded for staging major events. Hong Kong hosts one ATP 250, one WTA 250 and one WTA 125 tournament every year. Last year, the larger women’s event was named tournament of the year at WTA 250 level, reclaiming a prize it first won in 2018.
“Tennis is one of the sports in Hong Kong that can be industrialised, commercialised and professionalised,” Cheng said. “You need three building blocks: events, infrastructure, and elite and development pathway. They all go hand in hand.
“Hong Kong is only the third Asian city to host both ATP and WTA events. We’ve won two global awards, and counting. Having our athletes featuring and doing well in our events will drive economic growth … and community engagement.”