The 2008 Dr. Henry Fok Corporate Patron League concluded earlier on Buddha's Birthday last Monday with the Police Tennis Club (PTC) going home with both the Premier and Bowl titles, while Elegant Scene Leather Goods Ltd. and The Chamber of Hong Kong Computer Industry were crowned Cup and Plate Champions respectively.

[Results] [Photo Gallery]

[Roll of Honour] (1993 - 2008)

In the Premier Draw, Police Tennis Club 1 swept all before them, as they romped to victory by registering three successive 4-0 wins – against Völkl in the round of eight, FCTC in the semifinals, and then Wayfoong Sports Club in the final.

This marked the second Premier title for the Police Tennis Club after first winning it back in 2004.

Defending champions Citigroup also reached the semifinals before going out against Wayfoong Sports Club by the score of 3-1.

In last year's dramatic Premier Final, Citigroup and Yau Wing Co. Ltd. were deadlocked at 2-2 following a count-back. A winner-takes-all, sudden-death tiebreak then took centre stage where Winston Choi and Kevin Yeh saw off Eric Koo and Chapman To, 7-4, to secure Citigroup's maiden triumph in the Premier Draw. In the semifinals, Citigroup also had battled the Hong Kong Veterans' Tennis Association to a standstill at two sets all, but advanced courtesy of another count-back in games won-lost.

In this edition of the Cup competition, Elegant Scene Leather Goods Ltd., a newcomer to the Corporate Patron League, defeated Yau Wing Co. Ltd., 3-1, in the final to lift the title. Although the former won the first two sets, 6-2, 7-6(6), Yau Wing, a former two-time Premier champion and three-time Cup winners, battled back to take the third set, 6-4, before the eventual champion managed to end the contest with another hard-fought win in the fourth set by the score of 6-4.

Earlier in the semifinals, Yau Wing had conceded the opening set, 6-0, and trailed two sets to one before winning the final set to progress via a count-back against Jardine Sports Association.

Last year's Cup final saw JOST beat HSBC 3-1 to earn their maiden CPL title.

In the Bowl competition, Police Tennis Club 2 saw off RBS/ABN AMRO Bank 2 in the opener but the next round was where their closest encounter was this year, as Rotary Club of Kowloon North East led two sets to one in their semifinal face-off heading into the final set. However, PTC 2 showed its prowess by running away with the decider 6-0 to tie proceedings at 2-2 and advanced to the final courtesy of a count-back.

PTC 2 then defeated newcomers, Kee Wah Ltd., 4-0 in the title decider to claim the club's second trophy this year.

The closest of all finals occurred in the Plate competition where The Chamber of Hong Kong Computer Industry A defeated PCCW courtesy of a count-back of games won-lost (21-19) after both teams had split the four sets played. PCCW made a last ditch effort by winning the fourth set 6-4 but that was not enough to extend proceedings to a sudden-death tiebreak.

Last year, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce A defeated Rotary Club to win the Plate title.

As in years past, any surplus funds will be donated to the Hong Kong Junior Elite Development Programme to help pay for some of the coaching and traveling expenses for Hong Kong’s most promising junior players.

Although a sizeable percentage of the 240 or so players who took part this year were from companies in the financial sector, participants from other industries and organizations such as legal, manufacturing, food and catering, entertainment, and NGOs have also made their presence felt.

Regardless, the involvement of men and women from such wide-ranging professions is a testament to the legacy and popularity of the Dr. Henry Fok Corporate Patron League, which also lends further support to its place as an annual fixture on the local tennis calendar.

After all, year-long tennis bragging rights are at stake.

See you all again next year.

Results
The Dr. Henry Fok Corporate Patron League 2008
Victoria Park Tennis Courts, Causeway Bay
May 2-4 & 9-12, 2008

PREMIER FINAL
Police Tennis Club 1  d. Wayfoong Sports Club   4 – 0 (6-3, 6-0, 6-0, 6-4)

CUP FINAL
Elegant Scene Leather Goods Ltd  d. Yau Wing Co. Ltd   3 – 1 (6-2, 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-4)

BOWL FINAL
Police Tennis Club 2  d. Kee Wah Ltd   4 – 0 (6-2, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4)

PLATE FINAL
The Chamber of Hong Kong Computer Industry A  d. PCCW   2 – 2 (4-6, 6-1, 7-6(5), 4-6)