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Nazvi Careem

Dutchman Richard Krajicek has a special place in his heart for the Salem Open.

 It was at Victoria Park where he won his first ATP Tour title, blowing away Australian Wally Masur in the 1991 final.

  Even then, fans sensed Krajicek had the power game to reach the top.

  And, in 1996, he fulfilled those predictions by beating American MaliVai Washington to win the sport's ultimate prize, the Wimbledon championship.

 Ranked ninth when he entered for the Salem Open, Krajicek will bring top form to Hong Kong.

   Last week, he won the Lipton tournament at Key Biscayne, Florida, one of the Tour's most prestigious events.

  His four-set victory over Sebastian Grosjean in the final lifted his world ranking to a career high of four, which means he will be the highest ranking player at Victoria Park.

  Krajicek defeated world No 1 Pete Sampras and Sweden's Thomas Enqvist en route to the 17th ATP Tour title of his career and second of the year.

  He had won the London indoor tournament in February by beating Britain's Greg Rusedski in the final.

  The 6 ft 5 in Krajicek, 27, who lives in Monte Carlo, is looking forward to continuing his success in Hong Kong.

  'Hong Kong was my first title on the ATP Tour so it is a special place for me,' he said. 'There is a strong field this year and I hope I can continue my good form at Victoria Park.'    Krajicek is the first Dutchman to win a Grand Slam title.

 And he hopes that he is not the last.

  He has set up the Richard Krajicek Foundation in his home town of Rotterdam in the hope that more young Dutch players will have the opportunity to succeed at international level.

  'It was basically a fol low-up on a project I started called Wimbledon On the Streets. It's street tennis, like the Arthur Ashe Foundation. In the city where I'm from, it's not only tennis that the youngsters are lacking, but sports in general,' he said in an interview.

  'So many kids in the lesser neighbourhoods, their parents don't have the money to make sports clubs or anything of that kind. I just wanted to help, so I started the Richard Krajicek Foundation.

  'It started out with tennis and now it's much bigger, from soccer in the schools to financing playgrounds. The response so far has been very good.'   He recently suffered a personal tragedy when fellow tennis player and compatriot Menno Oosting was killed in a car crash.

   Krajicek attended Oosting's funeral and then dedicated his triumph in London to his friend.

  He will be hoping for happier times again at Victoria Park.



HK 'a special place' for Krajicek