HK pair serve up a treat in Beijing

Two talented young tennis players - Kevin Wong Chun-hun and Brian Yeung Pak-long - did Hong Kong proud when they clinched the boys' under-12 singles and doubles championships at the 2007 China Nike Junior Tour Grand Masters, held in Beijing last week.

The players had to pick up sufficient ranking points in the preliminary competitions in Jiangmen , Guangdong province, and Shenyang , Liaoning province , in order to enter the Grand Masters.

In the nail-biting boys' singles final, Kevin, 11, beat the top-seeded Shen Youxu from Tianjin 6-1, 6-3 to win the title. Kevin put up a strong fight and showed steady form against a formidable rival.

In the boys' doubles final, Kevin teamed up with Brian, 12, to defeat the second seeds, Chen Lin and Chen King of China.

The Hong Kong pair, helped by early breaks, proved a tough combination, and raced to an 8-2 victory (the match comprised one set).

A delighted Kevin said the win was a big boost to his confidence.

Kevin's father, Ken Wong, said he was proud of his son's achievement. 'It's not easy beating China's top players,' he said. 'They have been training full-time for at least a year.'

Henry Chan, vice-president of the Hong Kong Tennis Association (HKTA) and chairman of the Elite Committee, said the young players' victories were the result of years of tough training.

'These achievements did not happen overnight,' he said. 'The youngsters have been training very hard for the past five years. The results speak for themselves. Kevin and Brian have done extremely well, and the HKTA will continue to nurture young talent.'

HKTA's travelling coach Leo Liu Jin-jian said the tournament was a valuable experience for the Hong Kong squad.

'You could feel the pressure around the courts here,' Liu said. 'China's top 32 under-12 and under-14 boys and girls competed. They came from provinces all over China to compete for the 2007 overall singles and doubles championships.'

For the past 10 years, the Nike Junior Tour has given international exposure to under-12 and under-14 tennis players.