Hong Kong Tennis Open keeps link to Andre Agassi, Boris Becker era thanks to stalwart’s return
- Ed Hardisty, a key figure at the city’s tennis association in the 1990s, returns to make his 13th appearance as the tournament’s head referee
- ‘Hong Kong has been blessed,’ he says of the revived event, whose past winners include Agassi, Pete Sampras and Michael Chang
The Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open not only marks the return of the ATP Tour to the city for the first time in 21 years, but also sees the return of one of the formative figures in the game to the city.
The career of Ed Hardisty – the local tennis association’s former executive director and hall of fame member – neatly mirrors that of the Hong Kong Open, which he first officiated as a linesman and chair umpire in 1973.
He was the assistant referee in 1975, and then served as head referee for a 12-year stint from 1976 to 1987, before moving to other supervisory capacities. The forthcoming tournament will be his 13th as head referee.
Born in England, Hardisty, a doctor, moved to the city with his wife Janet in 1973 for work. Possessing a keen interest in tennis, he was thrilled to learn Hong Kong was running a tournament that year featuring one of his favourite players.
“A certain gentleman by the name of Rod Laver was playing and he was one player that I’d always idolised, not only because he’s another left-hander like myself, but because he was so good,” Hardisty told the ATP Tour website.