Tennis pair Eudice Chong and Cody Wong Hong-yi began their quest for a seventh doubles title in 2022 on Wednesday at the ITF W25 tournament in Nottingham. The duo are continuing their preparations for medal tilt at September’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, as they look to help the sport preserve its elite status at the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI). After nearly 18 months of Covid-19 restrictions and closed-camp training at the HKSI, the duo returned to the tour last October, and have teamed up for 13 events, winning 9 titles. Six of those have come this year, including two in a row in March in Egypt and South Africa, with their most recent coming in Nottingham last month. “To be honest, we have partnered for so many tournaments mainly for the Asian Games, as we know we have a mission to achieve there,” said 26-year-old Chong, who is the Hong Kong No 1 in singles and doubles. Tennis is on the verge of losing its Tier-A status at the Institute if it fails to produce a medal at the Asian Games – but Chong and Wong are providing plenty of reasons to be hopeful. Hong Kong sports community fears lost generation of junior athletes “I’m pleased with my performance over the last six months, particularly in doubles with Cody,” Chong said. “Our knowledge of each other in the matches is improving, which raises our optimism for the Asian Games, when few duos have time to team for so many tournaments.: “I don’t know whether we can win a gold at the Games, but at the very least a medal,” added Chong, who missed out on the podium in the women’s singles in Jakarta four years ago. Chong turned professional after graduating from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 2018, with the intention of following in the footsteps of the city’s former No 1 Zhang Ling and playing in the four Grand Slams – but her plans were derailed by the pandemic. Before the coronavirus outbreak, Chong – a double World University Games bronze medallist – had reached a ranking of 370 in singles, and recorded six ITF title wins in doubles with different partners in 2019. “It’s like everything is starting over after two years of the pandemic,” she said. “Zhang has always been a role model for me. My goal is to play in the Grand Slams, either later this year at the US Open or next year, depending on my ranking.” Chong now has a career-high singles ranking of 306 after winning two titles and losing two finals in the last six months, and has reached No 162 in doubles. The 20-year-old Wong, who began full-time training at the age of 15, has achieved career-high rankings of 540 in singles and 220 in doubles. “I really enjoy competing week after week overseas, and the results so far have exceeded my expectation,” said Wong, who enjoyed a memorable grand slam junior season in 2019, reaching the doubles semi-finals at the US Open, and the quarters at the French Open. “My goal is also [playing in the main draw of a] grand slam, which I hope to achieve in two to three years.” Wong, who is just 8 months older than US Open singles champion Emma Raducanu, said she was inspired by the Briton’s shock triumph in New York last summer. “I was in the same tournaments as Emma before, and I truly hope that I may achieve the same results as Emma in the future – she teaches us that no matter our age, we can achieve what we want,” Wong said. The Hong Kong duo are competing in both singles and doubles in Nottingham this week. Chong won her first-round match in the women’s singles, defeating Israeli Shavit Kimchi in three sets on Tuesday.