For too long, Hong Kong have been the bridesmaid of Asian tennis.
This weekend they will attempt to redress that a little bit by fielding a team boasting someone old, someone new and someone blue as they take on Kazakhstan in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group Two playoff tie at Victoria Park.
Local number one Melvin Tong is the 'old' face in the squad. Chris Numbers is the new boy. And Wayne Wong is blue, reflecting the fact that this weekend's tie could be his last for Hong Kong for quite some time.
The trio will carry the SAR's hopes of avoiding relegation to Group Three in 2001.
New non-playing captain Derek Ling was optimistic Hong Kong would avoid being thrown in with the Philippines in the bottom-most pool of Asian minnows at the end of this weekend.
'I'm very confident my players will pull us through and keep us in Group Two competition next year,' said Ling after yesterday's draw which saw Tong take on Kazakh number two Pavel Baranov and Wong meet their number one, Alexei Kedruyk, in the opening singles.
