Good News from the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open! Wu Yibing, Wong Chak-lam, and Marin Cilic Reaped the Fruits of Winning

The 15th National Games Men's Singles Champion Wu Yibing started the year from where he left off with an impressive 6-4, 6-2 win over Fabian Marozsan in the first round of the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open (‘BOCHKTO’) 2026.

Wu Yibing outlasted Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, 6-4, 6-2. (Photo by Mike Frey / HKCTA)

The 26-year-old, who is back on tour after a serious foot injury, was in full control throughout the contest against last year's quarter finalist. Wu will now meet Andrey Rublev, the tournament's no. 3 seed and champion two years ago.

Wu said: "Fabian is a great player, with a big serve, and heavy balls from the baseline. I did well overall, I was able to control my emotions, and took my chances when they came, so I am happy to have got the win. I can't remember the last time I was able to start my season in the first week of January. I made it this year and managed to get the win today. Both my team and I are very happy. Let's see how the year goes. I am looking forward to my first hard court match against Andrey (Rublev). He is one of the best ball strikers on tour, so let's see."

Coleman Wong Chak-lam marked his first win at his home ATP 250 tournament the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open with a doubles victory with partner Gabriel Diallo over Argentine duo Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Francisco Comesana. (Photo by {photog} / HKCTA)

Local star Coleman Wong Chak-lam warmed up nicely for his first round singles against world no. 75 Mariano Navone tomorrow with a hard fought 7-6(3), 3-6, 10-6 first round doubles victory with Canada's Gabriel Diallo over Argentine duo Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Francisco Comesana.

On his first win at BOCHKTO in singles or doubles, the 21-year-old Hongkonger commented:

"I rarely play doubles on the tour, so I am happy with the win. Diallo is very tall and has a phenomenal serve. He and I have great chemistry, we have complementary skills, and we have great fun playing doubles together. This is my first time playing outside of Centre Court at this tournament, but there were still a lot of people, and it was great to see so much support for me."

Local up and coming junior KaiThompson hits a backhand return during his first round doubles match with China’s Yi Zhou against Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti of France. (Photo by Lampson Yip / HKCTA)

Kai Thompson was back on court today in doubles action with Zhou Yi. Showing promise once again, the 17-year-old displayed maturity beyond his years, but was unlucky to lose in three tight sets after holding a match point in the final set Champions' tie-break to Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti of France. Thompson had lost in qualifying yesterday to 88-ranked American Emilio Nava.

Thompson commented: "The match was an amazing experience. We were playing two top 50 doubles players, while we were a pair of wildcards. Zhou Yi is great, he has more experience than me, even though he is just 20. We took a lot of chances, there is a lot we can learn from this match. We had a lot of fun playing together."

Marin Cilic breezed past fellow 37-year-old Adrian Mannarino 6-3,6-2 in the first round of the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026. (Photo by Mike Frey / HKCTA)

Croat Marin Cilic breezed past fellow 37-year-old Adrian Mannarino 6-3,6-2 in an hour and 24 minutes to claim his first win of 2026.

The 2014 US Open men's Singles Champion said: “Overall, it was good, a really clean and solid match. Adrian and I know each other well, he is playing fantastic. The playing conditions are great, I took my chances and was able to play an efficient match. I spent Christmas at home, recharged and got here to Hong Kong. It is not super hot, so it is very nice. It is great being in this city. We can see our hotel from here, and you can walk to the courts. You get the buzz of the city on the one side, and then serenity on this side of the park."

In round two, Cilic will take on no. 8 seed Nuno Borges of Portugal who enjoyed a routine straight sets win over Damir Dzumhur, 6-4, 6-3.

In recent years, pickleball, a sport blending elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, has taken the world by storm, and Hong Kong is no exception. As the number of participants surges, the availability of venues and the allocation of resources have become critical to the sport's long-term grassroots growth and elite development.

Mr. Chan Siu-tong, a member of the Major Sports Events Committee, stated in the interview with Bastille Post that if the government builds dedicated pickleball courts and the private sector steps up to add more facilities to meet demand, pickleball would have a bright future ahead, especially with Hong Kong participating in and hosting international or Asian competitions.

Mr. Fung, Photo by Bastille Post

For citizens, finding a public pickleball court is notoriously difficult. Mr. Fung, a pickleball enthusiast, said that private courts typically charge between HKD$400 and HKD$500 per session. Many of his friends opt for public courts run by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, but booking them is fiercely competitive. "Sometimes you have to wait quite a while to secure a booking; it's really tough to get a court," he added. He also noted that some of his friends have even started playing in Shenzhen, where there are more courts, bookings are easier, and the overall cost is reasonable.

In response to inquiries from Bastille Post, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) stated that since 2019, it has been implementing the Trial Scheme on Opening up the Arena of Selected Sports Centres for Booking by Individuals for New Sports Activities, allowing the public to rent facilities for new sports such as pickleball. To further meet demand, LCSD has allowed free use of some outdoor badminton courts for pickleball in 2025. Together with indoor venues, there are currently 18 venues where the public can enjoy pickleball in Hong Kong.

Call for Pickleball-Specific Courts and School Venues to Ease Supply Crunch

The Hon Cheng Wing-shun, a Legislative Council Member, believed that the government's current approach to venue allocation follows development trends and the actual number of participants. "Venues are limited in Hong Kong, and the number of badminton players has always been large, so we have to strike an appropriate balance," he said. "As time goes by and more residents develop an interest in pickleball, the government can then appropriately increase public venues or playing hours for players."

The Hon Cheng Wing-shun, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chan Siu-tong also said that the current public pickleball courts are mainly "modified" from badminton courts, which means "one court for two purposes". There is already a shortage of badminton courts in Hong Kong, and such a situation may be worsened if the government does not add more venues or set up specialized pickleball courts. He believed that the government-funded athletics clubs in 18 districts have the possibility of providing moderate support for the development of pickleball. "Whether the government or regional athletics clubs will set up some dedicated pickleball courts to develop the sport after suitable modifications, making it more appealing to enthusiasts or those who want to invest in the related business, can enter the market, is a future trend."

Regarding the future development direction of venue supply, the Hon Cheng Wing-shun believed that pickleball is more suitable for the development of the private sports industry. "Firstly, it's a new and trendy sport. Secondly, its venue doesn't need to be very large. I think the government should encourage and promote more private companies to build venues."

Both of them said that under market forces, if more participants enter the market, supply and demand, along with competition, will cause prices to fall moderately.

Ms. Elyni Jie, Photo by Bastille Post

When asked how the supply of pickleball courts could be increased, former Hong Kong badminton team member Ms. Elyni Jie — herself a pickleball enthusiast — suggested, "I think schools could help. Students don't need to go to school on Saturdays and Sundays. Maybe we could consider whether school venues could be partially opened to the public on weekends. I believe such an arrangement would help the development of pickleball in Hong Kong."

One Key Move: An Association to Unite Resources and Go Global

Besides ensuring venue availability, for pickleball to achieve long-term popularization and elite development, a sports association is needed to integrate resources and organize participation in various leagues and international competitions.

Mr. Chan Siu-tong, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chan Siu-tong pointed out that every sport under the International Olympic Committee has its own association. Although Hong Kong claims to own some pickleball associations, none have yet gained international recognition. "Without an association to lead training, youth development, promotion, and securing government funding, progress is actually very difficult," he said. "Therefore, if the HKSAR government, or the Greater Bay Area, even our nation has an interest in promoting the development of pickleball, we can consider establishing an  association to connect with the world, integrate resources, and make promotion easier."

Ms. Elyni Jie also stated that, given the current uneven quality of pickleball coaches, she hopes the association can be established to offer stable training standards soon, which will have a more positive impact on nurturing the next generation of players as well as pickleball enthusiasts.

Hosting International Competitions: Start with Smaller-Scale Events

Last August, Hong Kong hosted the "PPA Tour Asia" at the Kai Tak Sports Park. The Hon Cheng Wing-shun believed that if Hong Kong were to host pickleball events in the future, it could start with smaller-scale competitions, such as Asian tournaments, national competitions, or local leagues. "The Budget also mentions more support for medium-sized events. Through local leagues, the development of elite sports can also be promoted," he said. "The success of sports development depends on whether there are enough elite athletes achieving results in the sport."

The Kai Tak Sports Park, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chan Siu-tong stated that sporting events entering the "M" Mark System can apply for up to HKD$15 million in government funding per event. Considerations for approval include whether the event is an internationally recognized competition, whether renowned players are present in Hong Kong, the number of spectators attracted, and the economic benefits generated by overseas broadcasts, etc.

He admitted that most current pickleball participants are tennis enthusiasts who have "transitioned" to the sport. Pickleball is easy to learn and well-suited to the Asian physique, making Hong Kong's international participation promising. He added that competitions with prize money could attract more people to take up the sport.

Ms. Elyni Jie pointed out that hosting a variety of competitions, such as veteran tournaments and women's competitions, would allow citizens of different age groups to participate in pickleball.

Pickleball is easy to learn and well-suited to the Asian physique, making Hong Kong's international participation promising. Photo by Bastille Post

If Hong Kong can host more large-scale pickleball events in the future, Mr. Fung, a resident, said he would like to attend and watch the games. "I will pay attention to which places have world-class players," he said. "I also participate in some amateur competitions, hoping to learn from top players and improve my skills."