Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam: Nok Yiu Tang Serves Up Two Pickles on Opening Day to Delight Home Crowd
A home crowd, two shutout games, and a local favourite who made it look easy. Not a bad way to start a Slam.
Hong Kong’s Nok Yiu Tang got her Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam campaign off to a flying start on the opening day of the main draw, landing an 11-0 game in each of her two wins and giving the home fans plenty to cheer.
Tang Is Two for Two
In women’s singles, Tang beat compatriot Kwan Wun Man, 11-5, 11-0. In mixed doubles, she and Eunggwon Kim won, 11-3, 11-0. Two outings, two pickles.
That keeps Tang alive in three draws, with women’s doubles still to come, where she and Chao Yi Wang are the No. 7 seeds. She’s straight back out on Wednesday, facing Mihae Kwon in singles, and partnering Kim against Ting Chieh Wei and Hunter Johnson in mixed. Can she go three for three?
Wong Flies the Flag
Tang wasn’t the only local doing well. Jack Wong Hong-kit, Hong Kong, China’s top-ranked pro, came through all three of his first-round tests on Tuesday. He beat qualifier Zida Li in men’s singles, then won in men’s doubles alongside Kim and in mixed with Lingwei Kong.
His singles draw, though, has handed him an awkward one. In the round of 32, Wong has to get past Kim, who is also his men’s doubles partner, and the two are due back on court together later the same day. First, send him home. Then, pick him back up. There’ll be no time for hard feelings.
Johnson Survives a Scare
Another big name needed all three games. Hunter Johnson, the No. 3 seed and the winner of the men’s singles title at last week’s Australian Pickleball Cup, dropped the opening game to qualifier William Hsieh before recovering to win, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9. It was a tense way to start his Asia debut. Adam Harvey awaits him in the round of 32.
The Biggest Names Are Still to Come
The marquee names haven’t played yet. World No. 1s Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters step onto the court in Hong Kong for the first time on Wednesday. Johns opens his men’s doubles campaign with Gabe Tardio, and the pair also start their mixed doubles run as top seeds. Waters and Anna Bright have a bye in women’s doubles, so that event begins later in the week.
Round of 32 action begins at 9:00am (GMT+8).
Indeed, if opening day belonged to the locals, Wednesday looks set to belong to the headliners. Either way, Kai Tak Arena has had a good start.
