Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/1591905/future-looks-bright-hong-kong-teenagers Hong Kong
Future looks bright for Hong Kong teenagers
Justine Leong Kwan-tung and Claudia Ng Hei-ching get a chance to tap the wisdom of stars such as Serena Williams in Singapore next month
Hong Kong rising star Claudia Ng Hei-ching, 14, is over the moon with her win and a chance to compete in Singapore. Photo: Kevin Kung
It will be a dream come true for Justine Leong Kwan-tung, 13, and Claudia Ng Hei-ching, 14, who will be able to rub shoulders with the likes of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova at the WTA Finals in Singapore next month.
Leong won the under-14 and Ng the under-16 competitions in the Hong Kong edition of the WTA Future Stars tournament, and will join other regional qualifiers in the finals to be played at the Kallang Tennis Centre in Singapore from October 17-20.
The finals of each competition will be played on Centre court at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the venue of the WTA Finals.
But the best bit is that they will also be given the chance to meet the world's top female players who will be gathered for the WTA's season-ending finale.
"I hope I can meet Serena Williams. She just won the US Open and got her 18th grand slam and I think she is a great player," says star-struck Leong, a student at Diocesan Girls School.
Michael Chang with 13-year-old Justine Leong, who will be heading to the WTA Finals in Singapore. Photo: Xinhua
Under-16 winner Ng who attends Australian International School said: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I'm thrilled to have won. It's even better since I was playing in an age group higher, so I can play with the more talented players around the world.
"But going to this WTA tournament and getting the chance to see and meet the Top WTA players, is so thrilling."
The world governing body for women's professional tennis, the WTA, introduced the Future Stars tournament to encourage young girls throughout the Asia-Pacific region to take up the sport.
"Women's tennis in Asia is in a golden age and the future looks extremely bright," says Ryan Sandilands, WTA chief executive for the Asia-Pacific region.
"Players like Li Na and Peng Shuai have led from the front in recent years, but there is a crop of rising stars from all over Asia pushing through to be the next household names."
Leong and Ng, who were the cream of the crop at the age-group competitions held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute this week, will join winners from 11 other countries in the Lion City.