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The Sino Group and Hong Kong, China Tennis Association (HKCTA) hosted a send-off ceremony on Saturday at Olympian City for the 26-member Hong Kong pickleball delegation ahead of the Pickleball World Cup 2026 in Da Nang, Vietnam.
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Officiated by Sino Group Chief Commercial Officer Bella Chhoa Peck-lim and HKCTA president Michael Cheng Ming-git, the event rallied community support for the city's strongest-ever lineup while unveiling a long-term strategic partnership to develop a sustainable local pickleball ecosystem across major events, elite cultivation, and community outreach.
Strongest squad spanning ages 14 to 69
Hong Kong aimed to build upon its historic silver medal finish in the open division at the previous World Cup with an expanded 26-player roster.
The squad featured elite competitors, including Asian men's number one Jack Wong Hong-kit and Hong Kong women's number one Nikita Tang Nok-yiu, alongside 16 athletes selected through the city's first-ever open qualifying trials and eight players chosen via an open wildcard selection process.
Cheng highlighted that the representative team brought together competitors aged between 14 and 69, demonstrating the all-ages appeal and inclusive nature of the sport.
He expressed gratitude for Sino Group's ongoing contributions across elite training, community promotion, and tournament organization, adding that the association would continue working with corporate partners to advance the professionalization and popularization of the sport.
Ahead of the ceremony, squad members across various divisions shared their preparations for the upcoming tournament.
Masters division representative Amy Chan Lim-chee—a retired badminton player who represented Hong Kong before and won gold medals in World Championships and Commonwealth Games—expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Hong Kong again after more than three decades, noting that she intended to savor every moment on court.
Tang, who secured silver in the open division last year, expressed determination to achieve another breakthrough despite facing tough global competition, while senior division player Ingrid Lau and junior division qualifier Owen Kwong both voiced excitement at testing their abilities against the world's best.
Three-pillar blueprint to build sustainable sports ecosystem
In line with government initiatives to promote sports development and the mega-event economy, Sino Group detailed a comprehensive three-pillar strategy covering major events, elite training, and grassroots popularization.
Under the mega-events initiative, the group provided full logistical and training support for the World Cup campaign and sponsored the PPA Asia 1500 Hong Kong Grand Slam scheduled for October at the Kai Tak Sports Park, hosting preliminary qualifiers for families and seniors across its property portfolio to attract more international sporting fixtures to the city.
For elite development, Sino Group formally announced full individual sponsorship for Jack Wong—the former Davis Cup tennis player turned full-time pickleball professional—covering dedicated practice facilities and comprehensive training resources.
The developer also partnered with Bay Pickle Academy to launch an elite nurturing program designed to integrate directly with the association's official training pathways.
To drive grassroots participation, the developer expanded its venue network to 14 pickleball courts across its properties, including six outdoor courts at tmtp commons in Tuen Mun Town Plaza, while organizing open play sessions, launching school outreach initiatives, and forming a corporate team to promote the sport across local districts.
Star-studded exhibition match wraps up ceremony
The send-off concluded with the formal introduction of the Sino Pickleball Team and a high-energy celebrity exhibition match.
National squad members took to the court alongside entertainment personalities Alfred Hui, Rachel Kan, and Kenny Wong, showcasing the fast pace, tactical skill, and agility of the sport to spectators before the team's departure for Da Nang.
