DAVIS Cup heroes John Hui Kin-yip and Pang Lui have been rewarded with top seedings in the Hong Kong National Championships which offers prize money for the first time in three years.
The event, previously called the Hong Kong Hardcourt Championships, carries total prize money of $100,000 through the sponsorship of the Furama Hotel Group.
'Furama will be sponsoring this event for three years and we've decided to rename it to emphasise its importance and raise its profile and prestige,' said Ed Hardisty, executive director of the Hong Kong Tennis Association.
'This tournament, and the CRC and South China opens, form the basis for working out the national rankings.' The championships have only twice offered cash prizes - in 1991 through the support of the Hong Kong Tennis Foundation and in 1993 with Fila putting up the money.
Hui and Pang played singles in Hong Kong's Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group Two whitewash of Sri Lanka last weekend and their achievements have not gone unnoticed.
Eighteen-year-old Hui is top seed in the singles event and Pang, coming back into the Hong Kong squad after a three-year break, is tipped to meet him in the final for the $20,000 first prize.