HONG KONG, December 24, 2024 (Press Release)
One of the best 20-and–under male tennis players Learner Tien who finished as runner-up at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals will travel to Hong Kong next week to open the 2025 season at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open (“BOCHKTO”) 2025.
The 19-year-old Tien, who qualified fifth for Next Gen ATP Finals, finished second in his group, which included a win over Frenchman Arthur Fils, ranked 20th in the world.
He then beat second-seeded Alex Michelsen to make the final before narrowly losing to Joao Fonseca of Brazil in a tight 4-set final. The Asian-American, raised in California and of Vietnamese descent, will be beaming with confidence as he begins his campaign at the iconic Victoria Park Tennis Centre Court.
Taking place between 29 December 2024 and 5 January 2025, the singles draw of BOCHKTO 2025 is led by defending champion and World No. 8 Andrey Rublev and three others inside the world’s top 20, including Fils, who was also at the Next Gens Finals in Jeddah.
BOCHKTO 2025 has drawn a stronger draw compared to last year’s return of ATP tennis to the city for the first time in over two decades. In addition to Rublev, Fils, world no. 17 Lorenzo Musetti and world no. 19 Karen Khachanov – who are all returning to Hong Kong for a second straight year, the tournament will feature Nuno Borges of Portugal and Brandon Nakashima of the USA, all inside the world’s top 40.
27-year-old Borges won his first ATP singles titles earlier this year in Sweden, becoming only one of five players to beat Rafael Nadal in a clay court final. He also made two Grand Slam 4th rounds, at the Australian Open and the US Open.
World number 38 Nakashima also made two Grand Slam singles 4th rounds in 2024, at Wimbledon and the US Open. He helped the USA reach the knockout stages of the 2024 Davis Cup when he won the tie-deciding rubber against Germany to ensure his country a first-place finish in the Group stages. The 23-year-old was also a Next Gen Finals champion, claiming the crown in 2022. He will be playing BOCHKTO for the first time next week.
Others to look out for include Alexjandro Davidovich Fokina who has been ranked as high as no. 21 in the world rankings. He has made one ATP Masters 1000 final, at the Monte-Carlo Masters in 2022, beating Nadal along the way.
Hong Kong, China Tennis Association (“HKCTA”) has previously announced the participation of world no. 49 Cameron Norrie and recent Belgrade Open winner Denis Shapovalov, who have both reached Grand Slam semifinals. Asia will be represented by Japanese veteran and former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori, Shang, Bu Yunchaokete, and Hong Kong No. 1 Coleman Wong Chak-lam.
HKCTA President Michael Cheng commented: “HKCTA is immensely proud to have brought top flight ATP tournament action back to Hong Kong after two decades last year. The support and interest at the inaugural BOCHKTO was overwhelming and we are delighted to see an even strong field enter this year.
“One of our goals is to nurture talent at home and abroad, and to offer opportunities for upcoming players to compete against the best in the world. We are delighted to welcome three Next Gen Finalists are going this year, and others pushing for similar status like Nakashima, Bu, and our hometown player Coleman Wong in the draw. As we ring in the new year, fans can expect fireworks both on and off the court.”
Tickets for BOCHKTO 2025 are available for purchase at www.tickets.tennishk.org/atp250-2025.
