Hong Kong’s new number one tennis ace Eudice Chong ready to take reins and guide new generation
- Chong reflects on first year since turning pro, which includes becoming the city’s top-ranked women’s singles player
- The 23-year-old Wesleyan alumni targets singles and doubles grand slam event qualification
When Eudice Chong began her Hong Kong tennis career, she would look to the city's dominant number one-ranked women's star Zhang Ling for inspiration. Now, barely a year after turning professional, the 23-year-old has assumed that crucial torchbearer role for a sport that has long struggled for support and exposure.
Chong became Hong Kong's top female player in May – according to the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) – and the world number 378 is prepared to be the poster girl for the emergent batch of Gen-Z players.
“It's important to have someone to look up to. I've always looked up to Zhang Ling,” Chong said after being announced as the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club's first non-golf athlete ambassador on Sunday. In return for the club's support, Chong will impart some valuable tennis experience to the tennis academy's women and youth.
“Now I'm kind of stepping into her shoes and being someone who can be there for younger kids – to promote the sport and let people know that although it's tough to play professionally, it's important to enjoy what you do.”
Chong is not fazed by having surpassed the 30-year-old Zhang, four-time grand slam event entrant and 14-time International Tennis Federation (ITF) women's circuit singles title winner, in the rankings.
“I don't really think about it much because she is my good teammate,” Chong said. “She's been number one for the longest time. We just focus on ourselves and try to make each other better in training.
“The first time I trained with her was when I was 14 or 15 and we played together for the first time when I was 17,” recalled Chong, who was born in the US and moved to Hong Kong with family three years later. “She's always been kind of like an older sister to me, taking care of me when I need advice or when I get down during tough losses. I'm very grateful for her help and what she's done for my tennis.”
As Zhang continued her transfer of wisdom to Chong, the pair's pioneering partnership led to a spike in local interest in the women's game.
Since opting to turn professional after graduating from Wesleyan University in Connecticut last year, Chong has helped Hong Kong return with two bronze medals from the 2019 Summer Universiade Games and reached career-high WTA singles (376) and doubles (173) rankings. Add that to her 10 ITF wins and she immediately becomes a force to be reckoned with in the region.
“Starting my professional career has been a big step for me – the change in mentality and training,” Chong said. “The biggest challenge is definitely the mentality and having that grasp that this is my career and not just a secondary aspect to my life. Of course, I put a little more pressure on myself and get a little more pressure from the people around me. It's important for me to stay on [top of] it.”
Exposure to the US' third-division All-American circuit has certainly helped Chong bring a confident, attack-oriented, team-first style of play to the city's tennis scene.
“College level is a step away from professional tennis, but being able to buckle down mentally and focus on playing my best tennis consistently [is the big difference]. Before, I could still sometimes get away with not being at my best, but now you've got to step up and make sure you're doing everything to stay at that level,” she said.
As for 2020, Chong aims to follow in Zhang's footsteps and reach the sport's most prestigious events, the grand slam quartet. She also intends to improve her doubles ranking – which is 181st in the world as of December – alongside Indonesia's Aldila Sutjiadi.
“That's still the aim for now, to try and qualify for the grand slams and get more experience,” Chong said, adding that she would be open to a move to the US within the next two years. “Everyone else on tour has been playing for 10 years, I've just been playing for one.
“Also being able to play with my doubles partner a bit more … we're trying to play more tournaments next year and hopefully get our ranking up so we can also play in grand slams together.
“But the biggest thing is to spread awareness in Hong Kong. Tennis isn't that popular a sport here, but more people are starting to play and it’s getting more common – especially with children. To be in this position to promote it is a big deal.”
