DENMARK'S Kenneth Carlsen showed Hongkong tennis fans why he is one of the hottest properties on the world circuit by beating fifth-seeded American Brad Gilbert 6-4, 6-4 in the Salem Open second round at Victoria Park yesterday.
Carlsen, who hopes to celebrate his 20th birthday tomorrow with a semi-final appearance, climbed a staggering 967 places in the rankings during 1992 to end the year at number 69.
And now he is up to 53 - and sure to rise further as he continues to improve his game.
What is all the more remarkable about his success story is that tennis was his third sport, after soccer and swimming.
The Copenhagen-born left-hander explained: ''Like every boy in Denmark, soccer was my first sport and I started playing at 41/2-years-old and played until I was 12.
''I took up swimming from the age of five to 10 and it was only through my father that I began to play tennis.
''He started playing tennis three or or four years before me and I used to go along with him when I was eight years old and play long into the evening.