After defeating Mongolia, Jordan, Iraq, Bangladesh, and Indonesia to place first overall at this year’s WJT Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifyng in Bahrain back in March, the Hong Kong, China under-14 boys’ team of Richie Choi, Kyle Wan, Kayden Lok, Ray Lam (Vice Captain), and Denis de Mingo (Fitness Coach) arrived at Kuching for the Final Qualifying as the No. 2 seed.
The boys did not disappoint, as they swept through the group stage with Richie Choi and Kyle Wan picking up three wins each in singles to beat Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, and No. 6 seed China to reach the knockout stage. In a must-win quarterfinal against No. 7 seed Australia, Richie and Kyle again took both singles to propel the team to the last four, and in doing so, a place in this year’s World Finals, which will take place from 4-9 August at Tenisovy Klub Prostejov, Czechia.
Although the team ended up losing the subsequent semifinal to third seed Kazakhstan and the 3rd place playoff to top seed Korea to conclude this campaign, the boys had already accomplished what they came here to do, and that was to ascertain qualification for the Finals.
Richie Choi, who first went to the World Finals with the 2023 team together with Walter Tam and Selwyn Wong, is now the only player from Hong Kong to make it to the Finals twice. Prior to 2023, the Hong Kong, China under-14 boys’ team had only reached the promised land twice before, in 1994 and 2001.
Richie first came to the fore when he took the Nissin Hong Kong National Junior Tennis Championships 2023 by storm, capturing both B12 and B14 singles titles. Later that year, he became the first player from Hong Kong to reach the Junior Orange Bowl B12 final after he beat top-seeded USTA National Championships 12s winner Tristan Ascenzo along the way. In the title match, he was defeated by the then reigning Eddie Herr B12 champion Jang Junseo (KOR) 6-1 7-5. Jang played for Korea at this year’s WJT Asia/Oceania Final Qualifying but he did not suit up for the 3rd Place Playoff against Hong Kong, China.
Thus far, Canada, USA, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, and Hong Kong, China have assured themselves a spot in the Finals.
Each year, the ITF World Junior Tennis Finals bring together the best sixteen under-14 teams from around the globe. Indeed, many of today’s top players have honed their skills at this event, going on to represent their nations at senior level, as well as earning individual honours at the Grand Slams and at Tour level.
Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Andy Roddick, Coco Gauff, Bianca Andreescu, Lorenzo Musetti, Katerina Siniakova, Juan Martin del Potro, Kei Nishikori, Marketa Vondrousova, Alex de Minaur, Ash Barty, Felix Auger Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe have all represented their nations in ITF World Junior Tennis.
Earlier this year at the Asia-Pacific Elite 14 & Under Trophy 2025, Richie Choi defeated No. 1 seed Kim Dongjae (KOR) and No. 2 Dharma Pantaratorn (THA) en route to the final at Melbourne Park. In March, he took the B16 singles title at the Nissin Hong Kong National Junior Tennis Championships 2025 before claiming his maiden ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors boys’ singles title at the J30 Colombo.
Kyle Wan captured the Nissin Hong Kong National Junior Tennis Championships B10 titles in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, he also won the B12 title. Last November, he partnered Jamie Alcaraz to capture the JC Ferrero Tennis Europe U14 boys’ doubles title over in Spain. The duo also reached the quarterfinals at this year’s Les Petits As.
Kayden Lok has captured back-to-back Nissin Hong Kong National Junior Tennis Championships B14 singles titles in 2024 and 2025. He was also the B10 runner-up in 2021 and the B12 finalist in 2023.
Richie and Kayden are currently in New Delhi for the ITF Asia 14 & Under Development Championships fortnight from 22nd April to 3rd May where they will get the chance to play back-to-back tournaments. Each week of the Championships is equivalent to a Category A, Asian 14 & Under tournament for awarding ATF 14U ranking points to the players.
This year, the Development Championships will also be used as a criteria to select players for the Wimbledon 14U Championships and the GSPDP/ITF/ATF 14&U Team to Europe (subject to ITF Development Eligibility Criteria 2025) later this summer.
Meanwhile, Kyle is staying put, competing in Weeks 1 and 2 of the ITF World Tennis Tour J30 Hong Kong.
Results
WJT Asia/Oceania Final Qualifying (Boys)
Kuching, Malaysia
7-14 April 2025
Group D
(2)Hong Kong, China d. Sri Lanka 3-0
R1 Kyle Wan (HKG) d. Yudheerya Atapattu (SRI) 6-1 6-1
R2 Richie Choi (HKG) d. Pattiyage Peiris (SRI) 6-0 6-1
R3 Richie Choi/Kyle Wan (HKG) d. Yudheerya Atapattu/Pattiyage Peiris (SRI) 6-2 6-2
(2)Hong Kong, China d. Uzbekistan 3-0
R1 Kyle Wan (HKG) d. Ismoiljon Tursunov (UZB) 6-0 6-0
R2 Richie Choi (HKG) d. Saidaslam Farkxodov (UZB) 6-0 6-0
R3 Kayden Lok/Kyle Wan (HKG) d. Saidaslam Farkxodov/Ismoiljon Tursunov (UZB) 6-2 6-3
(2)Hong Kong, China d. (6)China 2-1
R1 Kyle Wan (HKG) d. Liu Yida (CHN) 2-6 6-2 6-3
R2 Richie Choi (HKG) d. Wu Yu Ting (CHN) 6-3 6-1
R3 He Xiande/Wu Yu Ting (CHN) d. Richie Choi/Kayden Lok (HKG) 0-1 Retired
Quarterfinals
(2)Hong Kong, China d. (7)Australia 2-0
R1 Kyle Wan (HKG) d. Joseph Christian (AUS) 6-3 5-7 6-3
R2 Richie Choi (HKG) d. Aidan Chan (AUS) 6-2 6-0
R3 Not Played
Semifinals
(3)Kazakhstan d. (2)Hong Kong, China 2-1
R1 Khaknazar Zhetkerbay (KAZ) d. Kyle Wan (HKG) 6-2 6-3
R2 Richie Choi (HKG) d. Akhmadi Makhanov (KAZ) 6-0 6-3
R3 Akhmadi Makhanov/Khaknazar Zhetkerbay (KAZ) d. Richie Choi/Kayden Lok (HKG) 7-5 2-6 [10-3]
3rd Place Playoff
(1)Korea d. (2)Hong Kong, China 2-0
R1 Kim Geonho (KOR) d. Kayden Lok (HKG) 2-6 6-3 6-0
R2 Kim Siyun (KOR) d. Richie Choi (HKG) 6-2 4-3 Retired
R3 Not Played
Final Positions (Brackets denote seedings):
- Japan(8)
- Kazakhstan(3)
- Korea(1)
- Hong Kong, China(2)
—————————- Qualified for World Finals - China(6)
- Australia(7)
- Chinese Taipei(5)
- Thailand(4)
- Indonesia
- New Zealand
- Iran
- India
- Singapore
- Pakistan
- Uzbekistan
- Sri Lanka