Jack Wong Hong Pickleball Journey: Hong Kong’s top pickleball player, Jack Wong Hong-kit, wants the sport to be recognized on its own and not just compared to tennis or other racquet sports. Wong spoke before the Hong Kong Open, which begins Thursday at Kai Tak Arena, marking the Professional Pickleball Association’s debut in the city.
Wong Finds New Purpose in Pickleball
The 26-year-old former tennis player said pickleball gave him “my second spring” and a chance to make his home fans proud. He also hopes to represent Hong Kong if pickleball becomes an Olympic sport.
“People said it’s like tennis or table tennis, but I don’t think so; there are maybe some similar moves, but pickleball is a sport of its own,” Wong said.
He retired from tennis last year and chose to focus fully on pickleball. Unlike tennis, which depends on strength and power, Wong explained that pickleball requires skill, technique, and patience.
“Pickleball doesn’t require much stamina, but there are so many technical details and variations. It’s not like tennis, which requires sheer power, and you just need to serve hard to win,” he said.
Unique Skills and Challenges in the Game
Wong said players from tennis, badminton, or table tennis backgrounds may improve quickly in pickleball. But he warned that relying only on past skills could block progress.
“But if you ignore pickleball’s unique moves and technique and play only with those skills from your original sports, your progress will stall after a few months,” he said.
He used the kitchen zone as an example. “Say, for example, you cannot volley inside the kitchen zone in pickleball and have to let the ball drop.
“This forces you to go slow and think about how to hit. Also, the ball doesn’t bounce much, and accelerating randomly won’t impact your opponents if they are quick enough … this is where you need to think.”
Wong added that the simple nature of the game can also confuse players.
“Some might not understand how they missed a shot in such an ‘easy’ sport,” Wong said. “Also, playing on such a small court means there can be a lot of repeated moves.
“You can easily dwell on it if you cannot do one move right. To me, pickleball isn’t about physical fitness, but creativity, imagination and mentality.”
From Tennis to Pickleball Success
Wong started tennis as a child and once ranked No. 653 in the world on the ATP tour in 2018. Still, he felt more success in pickleball, where he is now ranked No. 6 in Asia in men’s singles.
“It’s a different racquet after all, and I didn’t want to be unable to master both,” he said. “Pickleball gave me a sense of success.
“I wasn’t quite a successful tennis player previously and didn’t often reach the podium. But now I can always get on the podium, win a tournament or two, be able to support myself financially, and even earn some money – I am happy.”
PPA Tour Expands Across Asia
The Professional Pickleball Association Asia Tour runs until Sunday in Hong Kong. It is one of four Open-level events this year. The first took place in Kuala Lumpur in July. The next will be in Fukuoka later in August, followed by Ho Chi Minh City in early September.
The top-tier China Slam will run from October 1 to 5, and the season will close with a Cup-level event in Kuala Lumpur.
Why It Matters
Jack Wong’s journey shows how pickleball is giving new opportunities to athletes who once struggled in other sports. His message highlights pickleball’s unique identity and its growing presence in Asia. With major tournaments spreading, the sport may soon reach even greater recognition worldwide.
News in Brief: Jack Wong Hong Pickleball Journey
Hong Kong’s Jack Wong Hong-kit wants pickleball to be seen as a sport of its own, not just a version of tennis. Speaking ahead of the Hong Kong Open at Kai Tak Arena, he shared how pickleball gave him a fresh start after tennis. Wong is now ranked No. 6 in Asia.
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