Reaching out: WTA clinic gives Hong Kong youngsters a taste of tennis

Thirty local children attended a tennis clinic at the National Training Centre in Kowloon Tsai yesterday run by WTA Asia-Pacific vice-president Melissa Pine and Hong Kong tennis star Zhang Ling. For some of the youngsters, it was their first time holding a racquet.

The WTA Future Stars initiative is a community outreach programme aimed at promoting the sport in the Asia-Pacific region and the children were put through their paces in a series of exercises and training drills co-ordinated by WTA Finals tournament director Pine and current Hong Kong number one Zhang.

It was the first time such a clinic had been held in Hong Kong as the WTA looks to promote the sport in the city on the back of the success of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, which will be held at Victoria Park from October 8.

Watch: The WTA Future Stars clinic in action

Two Hong Kong youngsters will be selected to represent the city at under-14 and under-16 level at the WTA Future Stars tournament, which will be played alongside the WTA finale in Singapore at the end of October.

A second pop-up clinic will be held between 10am and noon today at the Cultural Plaza in Tamar Park with Zhang and fellow Tour player Yan Zi in attendance.