GOOD TO KNOW: It\u2019s <\/strong>SOLD OUT<\/strong>! <\/strong>All tickets for the first day of the main draw at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open found their owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sakkari shines, while Williams trips on Stoiana<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Maria Sakkari made a successful return at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, while Venus Williams couldn\u2019t get past Mary Stoiana in that first round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Greek star (#30) won her first match on Centre Court, defeating US player Carol Youngsuh Lee<\/strong> (#153) in straight sets (6-1, 6-4). After a first set that saw her cruising, taking a 2-0 lead after converting her fourth chance, Maria Sakkari<\/strong> had to dig a bit to get over the line in the second set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fourth seed saw her opponent refusing to back down. Lee saved two break points at 2-2, then pushed hard on Sakkari\u2019s service game. Things got very tight until 4-4 when the Greek broke without leaving a point to Lee and then served it out, clinching the match at her first chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Venus Williams<\/strong> (#597, WC) didn\u2019t have the same kind of day at the office. The tennis superstar was stunned by compatriot Mary Stoiana<\/strong> (#114) in straight sets (6-2, 6-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The former World No.1 saved two break points in the first game, but then couldn\u2019t find ways to go through her opponent. The tennis legend made it more competitive in the second set until 3-3, when she got broken and saw Stoiana run away with it all. What did Williams say?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight now it\u2019s more about finding consistency. I feel like my whole match was about trying not to hit too hard and get out. There\u2019s a lot of power to control, and then it\u2019s about making good decisions. Most of the girls are playing week in and week out, while I gotta take two months off, then come back and have to decide, \u2018Okay, do I go for this shot? Do I not go for this shot?\u2019 But when you’re playing every week, it’s just a lot more automatic. So those are the kinds of things that I’m going through. It’s pretty normal. We just got to work through those things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (…) That’s so much fun to play here in Hong Kong. (…) I don’t have any plans for that year (2027), but also this year, I didn’t really make plans, so I just took it one step at a time. The crowd really supported me, and it was nice to have them there with me every step of the way. I’ve met so many people encouraging me in these last couple of years, and that’s been fantastic. (About doubles)<\/em> I don’t think we’re playing tomorrow, so I’ll definitely be shifting towards doubles drills and getting ready to volley a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fans on-site still had a blast having a chance at seeing such a champion in their city and took every chance to tell Williams how grateful they were to see her here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What did Stoiana say?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was really cool to be on the court with Venus. I obviously grew up watching her and idolizing her and Serena, so it was super fun to share the court. Today, what was working was that I had to stay aggressive. She was definitely taking it to me if I didn’t at first, so I had to keep going for my groundstrokes and my serve, and try to play tough points, and it ended up working most of the time, so I’m pleased about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was, honestly, more nervous than anything, but as I let it sit in my head a bit, I became very excited and realized it was a good opportunity to be in that environment, and to get to share the court with her is something not everyone gets to say, so I became more excited as I thought about it more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cProud\u201d Boulter opens up on how she\u2019s bouncing back, while Liu and Wang also enjoy a bright start in Hong Kong<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Claire Liu<\/strong> (#106) already clinched a big win in Hong Kong. The US player had a tough first round against qualifier Tatiana Prozorova<\/strong> (#124), who\u2019s been making waves lately with a semifinal in Singapore (WTA 500), a doubles final in Suzhou, and pushing future winner Harriet Dart to three sets in the first round of Guangzhou after getting out of the qualifications. But on Monday, Liu had all the answers and so got that win in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) with an impressive 81% first-serve percentage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Liu took over that match from the beginning, leading 4-1 and then closing out the first set without losing a point on her serve. Prozorova tried to turn things around when she broke back right away at the start of the second set (1-1) or when she saved two double break points at 3-1. But ultimately, it was Liu\u2019s day as she held on to that break until the second match point. It still took her close to an hour to win that second set. Liu will now face 8th seed Katie Boulter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The British player (#49), who played the final here in 2024, got out of a tricky first round on a very hot day in Hong Kong against Swiss rival Viktorija Golubic<\/strong> (#89) in straight sets after a very close battle at the end (6-2, 7-6(2)). Boulter was up 6-2, 5-1 when that match took a turn! Golubic saved a match point at 5-1, then broke Boulter on her third chance to get to 5-3, and did it again to come back to 5-5 on her first chance. After losing five games in a row, Boulter had a great service game at 5-6 to earn a tie-break that she would dominate from 3-2 up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What did Boulter say?<\/u><\/strong> I\u2019m really pleased with two-thirds of the match. I played some very good tennis, actually slightly better than I expected. I was very relaxed. I came out swinging and played the way I wanted to play. That’s important for me with my game style and my identity. Very happy with that. Obviously, the end got a little bit messy, but you live and learn; we move on, we’re through to another round, and physically I managed to get through the match, so I’m really pleased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The conditions are tough. You have to work extremely hard for every point. I don’t think you get many free points. Obviously, I’ve just come from Osaka, which is a lot faster, and so I find the conditions here quite heavy and slow. But it also allows you to control the ball, and I think sometimes I have the weapons to hit through those conditions. So I think for me, as long as physically I’m good, I’m excited to see how far I can go and see if I can get myself back to where I was a couple of years ago.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n (On Hong Kong and her scheduling)<\/em> \u201cI love the place. I love the people. I love the courts. I always want to try and play in as many places as I can on tour. I’m proud to play a full calendar season. I think that’s a testament to the physical work that I’ve put in. I’ve worked extremely hard to be here every week. Just to be here in Hong Kong is a privilege, and to be playing here is great for me. It\u2019s a mental challenge and a mental battle with myself, so I’m very pleased to be here. (…) Since my very first experience here, it has been very uplifting, and I\u2019ve felt very much at home straight away. There are a lot of British people in the crowd, which makes me feel very much at home after a long stint away, and I think that very much puts me at ease, and I am very grateful to Hong Kong for that because I don’t know if I would be coming back here if I didn’t feel so much at home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n (On coming back here after having to retire in tears last year)<\/em> Gosh, I’m like chalk and cheese from that moment. Anything I’m feeling right now is nothing in comparison to what I was feeling last year. Last year was one of the toughest moments for me. Obviously, getting an injury, but then also fighting to be in the main draw in Australia. I really struggled last year. Every week that I was playing, I wasn’t enjoying it. I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing. I didn’t physically feel like I was in a good place, and ultimately it showed in the end with an injury. Looking back on that, I’m really pleased with the way I’ve managed to turn things around. Having my new coach, who has really helped me this year, albeit it wasn’t a perfect year, it’s not over yet, but it’s not been a perfect year, but it’s much better than I was last year.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aliaksandra Sasnovich<\/strong> keeps going! The qualifier (#101) pulls off the upset in the first round against Katie Volynets (#78) in straight sets (6-3, 6-2). She was down a break 3-1 in the first set before winning five games in a row, and was also down a break 2-1 in the second set before\u2026 winning five games in a row. Nearly every game of that match was a battle, but Sasnovich proved way too solid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s been an impressive Asian swing for Sasnovich, who kept qualifying and then winning main draw rounds week after week (Beijing, Suzhou, Ningbo, Tokyo, ong Kong). She will now try to keep the momentum going in Hong Kong against the winner of the match between Australian Talia Gibson and Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova. In the last match of the day, Wang Xinyu<\/strong> (#38) gave a stellar performance (6-1, 6-1) against Hong Kong player Adithya Karunaratne<\/strong> (#523).<\/p>\n\n\n\n What did Wang say?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI always enjoy coming back to Hong Kong. I like the court here, and the people always give huge support. I’m super happy with the win I got today. It wasn’t easy for me because I’ve been struggling a little bit the last couple of weeks. This win is super important for me to just get a match or two and to get back into the match rhythm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What did Karunaratne say?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt’s a level that’s very different to what I’m used to. To be honest, I was blown off the court. I didn’t really have a lot of options. With players at this level, it’s on you to take the initiative to really push through and impose your game on them. And I wasn’t able to do that today. I was quite passive, and that’s because I felt overwhelmed by how she was playing. It just goes to show that it really does come down to playing consistently at this level to get used to it. The more opportunities that I have with this, as I aim to increase my ranking, the better I’ll deal with it. But for today, it was definitely a learning experience. Believe it or not, I actually had a lot of fun out there. It was really nice. It just really warmed my heart to feel all of the support. It was nice that there were people supporting both of us, because we put in a lot of effort to play out there. It was an atmosphere that I haven’t really experienced before. And so it was just wonderful because it’s what we work towards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n YOU HAVE TO SEE THAT ACHIEVEMENT!<\/u><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The week just started, but trophies were already presented in Hong Kong! The WTA Supervisor Chen Shu presented, on Monday, the WTA 250 Tournament of the Year Award and the Progress Tournament of the Year Award<\/strong>. It\u2019s the third time, and the second year in a row (2018, 2024, 2025), that the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open has won this Tournament of the Year award. Awards were received by Oscar Chow, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tennis Season Steering Committee, and Michael Cheng, President of the Hong Kong, China Tennis Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was rush hour at the K-Swiss booth! Liudmila Samsonova drew a big crowd for her signing session at the village of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. Anyone else noticing these very cute tote bags behind her? Just me? Okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, Dayana Yastremska got to enjoy a tour of the city on Monday, discovering a bit more of the local life in Hong Kong. The Ukrainian went to an iconic spot in Hong Kong named Choi Hung Estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Judy Murray joins a community programme initiative in Hong Kong<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Judy Murray <\/strong>set up a special workshop on Sunday to help grassroots tennis in Hong Kong. She joined the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), Official Community Partner of the Hong Kong Tennis Season, covering both the WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open and the ATP 250 Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open, for a whole morning of tennis knowledge-sharing moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The HKJC kicked off its community programme with Murray\u2019s help, as she visited a dedicated workshop for HKCTA coaches, including those involved in the primary school tennis initiative under the Jockey Club Tennis Serves Programme. She shared her expertise in junior player development, demonstrated a range of coaching activities and highlighted effective methods for making tennis engaging and enjoyable for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Judy Murray is well-known for being an advocate for grassroots tennis development,<\/p>\n\n\n\n championing initiatives to broaden access to the sport and empower coaches to create positive and inclusive tennis experiences for young people. Later that day, she visited Endeavourers Leung Lee Sau Yu Memorial Primary School, a participating school in the Jockey Club Tennis Serves Programme, where she conducted a children’s tennis clinic with 40 students, while the coaches had the chance to put their newly acquired knowledge into practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also got to share a session with Kai Thompson\u2019s mother, Cyndi, where they shared their experiences with 40 parents from the school. \u201cIt is a pleasure to be back in Hong Kong and interact with such enthusiastic groups of coaches, parents and students,\u201d Murray said. \u201cBack in Scotland, the weather often kept us indoors, which led me to create simple games for my sons. Over time, I realised these simple activities were incredibly effective in developing hand-eye and foot-eye coordination. I am therefore delighted to share my experiences with coaches and parents here, and to highlight the importance of making learning fun and engaging for children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n GOOD TO KNOW: 7000 beneficiaries will be enrolled in the community programme in the coming months<\/strong>, also getting opportunities to attend tournaments and more workshops. Michael Cheng, President of HKCTA, said, \u201cWe sincerely thank HKJC for its generous support in helping bring these tournaments closer to communities across Hong Kong. Through the Programme, we hope to spark a lasting interest in tennis among people of all ages and backgrounds, inspiring more individuals to embrace the sport and lead active, healthy lifestyles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n NOW, WHAT? SO MUCH!<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n On Tuesday, top seed Sorana Cirstea will light up the day session, while second seed Alexandra Eala and then Paula Badosa will take care of the night session at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. Hong Kong fans will also be able to go and watch local players Adithya Karunaratne, Cheuk Ying Chek and Cody Wong in the doubles competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SINGLES DRAW<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n QUALIFICATIONS DRAW<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n DOUBLES DRAW<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORDER OF PLAY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n EVERYTHING you need to know about the tournament<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n JOIN THE FUN!<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Join us on social media (accounts linked below) so you don\u2019t miss a thing of the action on and off the court!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official website<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Instagram<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>X<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-93744","news-detail","type-news-detail","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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(On the match)<\/em> \u201cIt’s been a really physical year for me, and I think today was a little bit more challenging than most days. I played in slightly cooler weather, not as humid, and today felt quite hard. Now, it’s going to be about recovery. I played the way that I wanted to play today. I tried to play aggressively and not allow too many long points. So I think that helped me through most parts of the match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tennishk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/image-22.jpeg\")
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