Hong Kong organisers eye beach tennis grand slam event and 2,000-seat arena for 2026
Music pumping from the DJ, families basking under the sun and spectators enjoying cold beers while the final of the ITF Beach Tennis World Tour Hong Kong unfolded gave Discovery Bay's Tai Pak beach a new feel on Sunday.
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It was the first time Hong Kong had hosted an ITF beach tennis tournament and hundreds of people were drawn to the event, which started on Friday.
Arnault Brac de la Perriere, unofficially the city's leading player, was responsible for bringing the BT10- and BT50-level events to the city.
The Hong Kong resident hails from the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, where beach tennis is the national sport and home to the Sand Series Reunion Classic Tournament, a grand slam event.
Now, Brac de la Perriere has set his sights on giving the city its own grand slam, something he said was achievable in the next few years.
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'The road map is quite clear,' he said. 'We need at least two years of solid BT100, BT200 and potentially BT400 events.
'There are a lot of facilities that we need but I was part of the organisation of the grand slam in Reunion, so I know what we have to do.'
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South China Morning Post
06-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong organisers eye beach tennis grand slam event and 2,000-seat arena for 2026
Music pumping from the DJ, families basking under the sun and spectators enjoying cold beers while the final of the ITF Beach Tennis World Tour Hong Kong unfolded gave Discovery Bay's Tai Pak beach a new feel on Sunday. Advertisement It was the first time Hong Kong had hosted an ITF beach tennis tournament and hundreds of people were drawn to the event, which started on Friday. Arnault Brac de la Perriere, unofficially the city's leading player, was responsible for bringing the BT10- and BT50-level events to the city. The Hong Kong resident hails from the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, where beach tennis is the national sport and home to the Sand Series Reunion Classic Tournament, a grand slam event. Now, Brac de la Perriere has set his sights on giving the city its own grand slam, something he said was achievable in the next few years. Advertisement 'The road map is quite clear,' he said. 'We need at least two years of solid BT100, BT200 and potentially BT400 events. 'There are a lot of facilities that we need but I was part of the organisation of the grand slam in Reunion, so I know what we have to do.'
South China Morning Post
05-04-2025
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Tennis' version of rugby's Hong Kong Sevens? New beach tournament spreads word
Hong Kong's first international beach tennis tournament sanctioned by the sport's global governing body began on Friday, with 28 nationalities represented and comparisons drawn with the spirit of the city's world-renowned rugby sevens showpiece. Advertisement Organisers hope that the debut edition in Discovery Bay can stimulate interest in a similarly fast-paced variant on a traditional game and be a stepping stone to staging higher-level International Tennis Federation (ITF) events. Arnault Brac de la Perriere, unofficially the city's leading player, was responsible for making ITF Beach Tennis World Tour Hong Kong happen. He said the aim was to generate a little of the party atmosphere, and tap into the accessibility, of the shortened form of rugby, as seen days earlier during the Hong Kong Sevens at Kai Tak Stadium. 'I see the joy that people get, it's really like rugby sevens,' he said. 'You have the stadium, a big party and the best players in the world coming.' Arnault Brac de la Perriere on court at Beach Tennis World Tour Hong Kong in Discovery Bay. Photo: Edmond So Getting the event off the ground was the culmination of three years of work, and the end goal is to bring a grand slam tournament to town, said Brac de la Perriere, who hails from the Indian Ocean island of Reunion and moved to Hong Kong 20 years ago.
South China Morning Post
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Billie Jean King Cup switch to China reflects ‘incredible progress', Zheng says
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