Following their successful debut appearance last year, two of the most successful men’s tennis players Australia has ever produced – Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde – have confirmed to return as Tournament Ambassadors at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open starting this weekend.
As one of the opening tournaments of the ATP season, the showpiece – which will run from Sunday to January 11 at the Victoria Park Tennis Centre – will feature some of the world’s best players, including four of the top 20.
Cash and Woodforde competed at Victoria Park back in the 1990s with Cash winning the Hong Kong Open singles in 1990 while Woodforde was a semifinalist in doubles seven years later.
Together, they delighted the city’s fans last year with a star turn as Tournament Ambassadors, helping to promote Hong Kong as an international sports event capital to a global audience.
"Hong Kong, especially Victoria Park, has a special place in my heart having won there 35 years ago, and it was amazing to be back last year helping to promote the event to a new generation of fans,” said Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon singles champion.
"I love the food and energy of the city, and think the Hong Kong Open is an amazing place for players to start their season.”
Woodforde, who boasts 67 men’s doubles titles to his name including 12 Grand Slam titles, said the tournament is the “perfect event and perfect destination for players to begin their season before they head to Australia” for the Australian Open.
With total prize money exceeding US$780,000 (HK$6.08 million), the 28-player draw will be led by world number eight Lorenzo Musetti, 11th-ranked Alexander Bublik, 2024 champion and world number 16 Andrey Rublev and world number 18 Karen Khachanov.
Asia’s challenge will be led by Hong Kong’s rising star Coleman Wong Chak-lam and China’s Wu Yibing and Jerry Shang Juncheng.
Tickets are on sale via Ticketflap with prices ranging from HK$370 to HK$1,610.
