Born in Shanghai on 3 August 1940.
Mr. Ling was a long-time devotee and custodian of the game in Hong Kong, either chairing or serving on numerous HKCTA Committees over the years. He was a member of the Executive Committee (1968-1969), Vice President – Development (1979-1983), Councillor (1975 1976 1977 1978 1987), Coaching & Training Sub-Committee Chairman (1977-1981) and served on the Selection & Grading Sub-Committee (1977-1981), League Management Committee Chairman (1974) and member (1975-1987), Tournament Committee (1975-1981), and Hon. League Secretary (1968). At the club level, he had been CRC Open’s Head Referee since 1985 and the club’s Convenor for over 20 years.
Mr. Ling played major a role in the decision of the Association to acquire the services of a pair of coaches from Peter Burwash International in 1976 to conduct the Development Committee’s first coaching clinic for local coaches. In 1977, he was appointed Chairman of the then newly-created Coaching & Training Sub-Committee that was tasked with the responsibility of running the National Junior Squad and rolling out coaching clinics for beginners and intermediate players as the initial springboard to establish a base for an overall tennis development programme in Hong Kong. The National Junior Squad, put under the tutelage of Tau Luu and John Holsinger, had by now incorporated sixteen youngsters, including the likes of Kelvin Inge, Mark Bailey, Colin Grant, and Patricia Hy. The year 1977 saw the visible rise in the standard of play in all age groups, the greater numerical participation in the under-12 age group, and the active engagement of more parents in the children’s programmes.
It is not without merit to ascribe Mr. Ling as the overseer of Hong Kong’s most successful National Junior Squad of all time, with Kelvin Inge sweeping almost every title contested in Asia in 1981, including the prestigious Asian Junior Doubles title with Mark Bailey in India. Patricia Hy would go on to reach the girls’ singles final at Wimbledon and captured the girls’ doubles title in 1983. Aside from reaching a career-high junior world ranking of No. 7, she also finished that year with a WTA Ranking of No. 68 at age 18. In 1984, Rolf Harrison and Kester Ng captured the Asian Junior Championships boys’ doubles, while Paulette Moreno finished runner-up in the girls’ singles. At Junior Wimbledon, Harrison and Ng reached the boys’ doubles semifinals in 1985 and the following year, Moreno was a runner-up in girls’ doubles. In 1986, Hy captured the Taipei Women’s Championships to become the only player from Hong Kong to win a WTA singles title.
Their successes gave local youngsters the incentive to emulate these performances in the future and the Association’s efforts over the years with junior development under Mr. Ling has been well and truly justified. As a result, HKCTA decided to take the next major step in our long-term plans, namely the participation in higher-leveled international competition, culminating with Hong Kong’s acceptance to compete in the 1981 Federation Cup, as well as the 1982 Davis Cup after an absence of seven years.
By 1981, participants of the Coaches courses were required to take an examination at the end of the syllabus, and after many hours of instruction they were awarded with elementary instructors certificates. The intention was to repeat these courses in the future and only certified coaches will be used in the Association’s programmes. Moreover, a grassroots development programme was also initiated during the year for children between the ages of eight and 12 to facilitate talent identification. An ongoing series of age group and mini tennis competitions were rolled out to provide competition on a regular basis for our up-and-coming players and a regional training squad was established to expand the game at the grassroots level. The Development Committee under Mr. Ling was able to establish an organized tennis development strategy for young players and much additional effort went to ensuring that Hong Kong’s junior tennis players would get as much overseas tournament experience as possible. The popularity of tennis continued to grow under Mr. Ling’s leadership and allowed for further development of the sport locally.
As a player, he was the first from Hong Kong to play No. 1 singles in the Davis Cup against regional powerhouse Japan when the territory was first accepted to take part in the event in 1970. He also played doubles in 1971 against Australia and No. 1 singles again versus Japan in 1972.
At the Hong Kong Invitational Hardcourt Championships in 1977, he partnered Tau Luu to beat a Thai pair headed by Somporn Champisri, a 1966 Asian Games silver medalist in the team event and three-time South East Asian Games singles gold medalist, in the first round. They then accounted for a No. 2-seeded pair led by Korean Davis Cupper, Ju Chang-Nam, in the semifinals. That was followed by a victory over a top-seeded team comprising ATP No. 281 Tetsu Kuramitsu, who won a 1978 Asian Games silver in the men’s team event, and Akinori Naguro of Japan in the final, as the HK duo took the men’s doubles in front of a rocking home crowd.
Mr. Ling was the first to promote veteran tennis in Hong Kong and he has been the Vice President of the Hong Kong Veterans’ Tennis Association for the past decade. He also won numerous senior tournaments in China and Canada after serving many years at the HKCTA. He also represented Hong Kong at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1966.
Local Majors
Men’s Doubles
CRC Open
1971 1974
SCAA Open
1974 1981
Mixed Doubles
Hong Kong Grass Court Championships
1968
Hong Kong Hardcourt Championships
1966 1969 1970
SCAA Open
1976
Juniors
CRC Open School Boys’ Singles
1958 1959 1960
CRC Open School Boys’ Doubles
1956 1957 1958