Left Field: A good year lies ahead for Hong Kong tennis

This year could well be a landmark one for tennis in Hong Kong. While 2015 was ushered in with a US$10,000 slap on the wrist for leading official Herbert Chow Siu-lung for speaking his mind, there is nothing but an optimistic feeling as we look ahead to the rest of the year.

The biggest development is that tennis will become a tier A elite sport at the Hong Kong Sports Institute on April 1. The results of the women's squad plus the juniors lifted the sport past the required nine-point entry benchmark into the elite academy.

Tennis is not only a popular pastime with the public; it is also a sport where our athletes can excel if given the right backing and support. True, we have only flirted occasionally with top-flight tennis, such as the Davis Cup, and have yet to produce a player who has made a name on the professional circuit, either men's or women's.

But given time and the right opportunity, there is nothing to stop someone from blazing a trail. And the Hong Kong Tennis Association has shown its commitment by introducing quality international events.

The Prudential Hong Kong Open was launched last September, a WTA International Series event, which saw the return of women's professional tennis to the city. That tournament not only brought back a buzz but it also presented the chance for some of our younger players to get on court and play against top-50 players, and all this in the comfort of their home court.

Of course, the highly ambitious can always go overseas to try their luck at becoming a professional. But that costs a lot of money. Bringing tournaments to town is a better, and cheaper, way to give opportunities to our children. It is understood the HKTA is looking at bringing in more ITF Futures events, which can only help build the confidence of our homegrown talent.