appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Paul McNamara

Shock Hong Kong Davis Cup pick Nicholas Cheng Siu-chi will go into the biggest match of his young life on Saturday with a glowing endorsement from star teammate Coleman Wong Chak-lam ringing in his ears.
It had been expected that Kai Thompson, the quarter-finalist in last month’s Australian Open Junior Championships, would play singles in this weekend’s Victoria Park Tennis Stadium World Group I play-off clash with Finland.
But city team captain Yu Hiu-tung sprang a surprise at Friday’s draw ceremony, revealing that he had plumped for Cheng because “looking at the opponents, strategy-wise, we think Nicholas has the better chance”.
The 17-year-old Cheng, who said he was “a bit shocked” to learn of his selection on Thursday night, will open the tie against world No 116 Otto Virtanen on Saturday afternoon.
“Seeing my name going on the board [at the draw ceremony] felt great. I hope I can give the team a good start,” Cheng said.
“Kai did well at the Australian Open and I thought he was going to be picked, but it’s a good chance for me to play at home and I’ll do my best.”

Wong will tackle the Finns’ world No 476 Eero Vasa in Saturday’s second singles match. He is scheduled to partner Cheng against Patrik Niklas-Salminen and Patrick Kaukovalta in the following day’s doubles, although Yu did not rule out a change of combination depending on the day-one outcome.
The winner of 15 of his 18 Davis Cup singles matches, Wong will meet Virtanen on Sunday, before Cheng faces Vasa in the fifth and final rubber.
“I’ve told Nicholas to enjoy everything the crowd brings, and to play his own game,” Wong said. “You guys didn’t expect him to play, but he’s the perfect choice; he can really do some damage. You’ll find out on Saturday how good he is.”
Cheng acknowledged that Virtanen would present a challenge like no other he had encountered, reckoning the 24-year-old was better than Zhou Yu, the world No 220 who beat him in last year’s National Games.
Still, the hosts’ team announcement left Virtanen rushing to “try to dig up something online” about his unfamiliar first opponent.
“I don’t know much about him … I’ll find some basic stuff for sure, and if I discover more, I’ll take it,” Virtanen said.

Wong could potentially need to win all three of his rubbers for Hong Kong to end their 33-year wait to return to World Group I level – a big ask for a player focusing on increasingly lofty personal goals. But the 21-year-old was crystal clear about where representing Hong Kong sits on his list of priorities.
“It’s first,” Wong said. “This is where I grew up; if there’s a team event, I’m there for Hong Kong, for my teammates and for me.”
Currently world No 136, but with his sights on entering the top 80, Wong hopes his young teammates sourced valuable insight this week from “seeing what someone ranked 100-something does every day”.
“They’re all asking my coaches questions, and it’s been a really good week preparing,” Wong said.
“It wasn’t easy when I started in the team [at 15 in 2019], [when] there wasn’t a player ranked in the 100s, even the 200s.”
Virtanen, who won his only meeting with Wong, on grass in Birmingham last year, said that sitting out doubles would leave him fresher than the Hongkonger on Sunday.
But although the home player acknowledged that squeezing three matches into around 24 hours “isn’t my favourite”, he said the workload was a small price to pay for the chance to play at a packed Victoria Park.
Adding the day’s second curveball, Wong said: “Hopefully we can have a bigger tennis stadium – I think we could fill it.”
Should the underdog hosts prevail this weekend, Wong’s case would grow stronger.


Hong Kong hopes to begin Victoria Park Tennis Centre redevelopment by 2030

Hong Kong tennis bosses hail Victoria Park revamp plans, eye WTA, ATP 500 tournaments

Hong Kong tennis chief says city getting bang for buck from hosting WTA, ATP events

Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong holds his nerve and serve to claim first ATP Challenger Tour title

Hong Kong Tennis Association (HKTA)

Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong backs Davis Cup surprise pick to ‘do some damage’

Coleman Wong (left) and Nicholas Cheng share a joke on the eve of Hong Kong’s Davis Cup tie with Finland. Photo: Karma Lo

Captain Yu Hiu-tung (far right) with (from left) Kai Thompson, Nicholas Cheng and Coleman Wong. Photo: Karma Lo

Coleman Wong and Otto Virtanen will face each other on Sunday. Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong squad warned that Asia Triathlon Cup races are ‘as serious as they come’

Bailee Brown (far left) and Oscar Coggins (second right), here with Robin Elg and Cade Wright after claiming National Games silver, will lead the Hong Kong charge in Malaysia on Saturday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Robin Elg could miss a squad camp in Yunnan as he manages a bone stress reaction. Photo: Eugene Lee

Oscar Coggins, here on his way to National Games individual bronze, is hunting ranking points. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong, Finland captains hold court before Davis Cup tie amid spectre of absent friends

Yu Hiu-tung (left) and Jarkko Nieminen will send their teams into Davis Cup battle over the weekend. Photo: HKCTA

Hong Kong skipper Yu Hiu-tung has not decided who will play singles with Coleman Wong. Photo: HKCTA

Jarkko Nieminen’s squad will be missing Harri Heliovaara and Emil Ruusuvuori. Photo: HKCTA

Sport

Tennis

Team captain Yu Hiu-tung hands Nicholas Cheng singles and doubles assignments for Victoria Park Tennis Stadium tie against Finland


Team captain Yu Hiu-tung hands Nicholas Cheng singles and doubles assignments for Victoria Park Tennis Stadium tie against Finland.


Davis Cup

Coleman Wong Chak-lam

Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong backs Davis Cup surprise pick to ‘do some damage’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Team captain Yu Hiu-tung hands Nicholas Cheng singles and doubles assignments for Victoria Park Tennis Stadium tie against Finland

Team captain Yu Hiu-tung hands Nicholas Cheng singles and doubles assignments for Victoria Park Tennis Stadium tie against Finland