Hong Kong tennis player Maggie Ng Man-ying, a wild card entrant, came within striking distance of a stunning upset at the Prudential Hong Kong Open on Saturday before ultimately losing to China's Lu Jiajing in a thrilling qualifying match. Ng, ranked No. 1,412 in the world, battled fiercely against Lu, who holds a ranking of 350, on Centre Court at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium.
The match, lasting two hours and one minute, saw Ng initially dominate, before Lu recovered to win 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. The Prudential Hong Kong Open 2025, a WTA 250 tournament, is being held from October 25 to November 2 at Victoria Park.
Ng started strong, surprising Lu with powerful cross-court shots and capitalizing on her opponent's shaky first serve to take a commanding 5-0 lead in the first set. She closed out the set 6-2. Lu found her footing in the second set, reversing the momentum and securing a 6-2 victory. The deciding set was a nail-biter, with Ng breaking early to lead 4-1. However, Lu demonstrated resilience, regaining control and ultimately winning the set and the match.
Speaking after the match, Ng acknowledged the pressure she felt to maintain her lead. "Because she has such a higher ranking than me, in the beginning, I didn't have much pressure," Ng said. "The first set and the third set, I was leading so much, but she could find the rhythm back and changed a little bit". She also noted the physical demands of the match, adding, "Also, in the third set, the rallies were so much longer; I felt like my fitness level wasn't good enough to finish the match".
Despite the loss, Ng's performance was a testament to her skill and determination, nearly securing a memorable victory against a significantly higher-ranked opponent. Her performance reflects the opportunities the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2025 offers to local players to compete against world-class talent.
The tournament features a mix of local and international players. Eudice Chong and Cody Wong also received wild cards for the singles main draw and will team up for doubles, joined by Justine Leong and Maggie Ng, who received wild cards for the doubles main draw. International stars such as Belinda Bencic, Victoria Mboko, and Alexandra Eala are also competing.
The qualifying matches on October 25 and 26, as well as main draw matches on Court 1 and Court 2 during the week, are free to the public. The main draw commences on October 27 with 'People's Monday', also free of charge.
