World University Games postponement buys Hong Kong tennis prodigy Adithya Karunaratne precious time
- Barcelona-based Adithya Karunaratne, who won her maiden W25 title last weekend, is still working on acquiring mainland travel permit
- ‘My family and I became naturalised Chinese citizens. Representing Hong Kong has always been one of my goals,’ 20-year-old says
For most athletes, the postponement of the World University Games in China will have come as a huge disappointment.
But not Adithya Karunaratne, the Sri Lanka-born Hong Kong tennis prodigy who won her maiden W25 (US$25,000) professional title last Sunday.
The 20-year-old law school student-athlete, who is ranked No 634 in the world, was recently asked by the University Sports Federation of Hong Kong about her availability to compete in the Chengdu Universiade, which had been set to take place in late June.
“To compete at the World University Games, I need a mainland travel permit for Hong Kong residents, which I don’t have yet, and I’m working on acquiring it from here in Spain,” said Karunaratne, who is enrolled in online learning at the University of Law in London.
“I consider Hong Kong to be my home – my family and I became naturalised Chinese citizens.