Hong Kong Tennis Season Announces The Hong Kong Jockey Club as Official Community Partner

The Hong Kong, China Tennis Association (“HKCTA”) is proud to announce that The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“HKJC”) will be the Official Community Partner of the Hong Kong Tennis Season 2026-27, covering both the WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open and the ATP 250 Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open. This marks the fifth consecutive season of HKJC support for “M” Mark events organised by the HKCTA.

This season, the HKJC, through its Charities Trust, has committed nearly HK$3 million to support the Jockey Club Hong Kong Tennis Open Community Programme (“the programme”), which comprises a series of community engagement activities, including guided tours, beginner courses, workshops, fun days, a mentorship programme, and opportunities to experience the “M” Mark tournament in person. The programme aims to enable members of the community, particularly those from underprivileged groups, to experience the enjoyment and positive values of sport.

The programme officially kicked off yesterday (1 November) with a special visit by Judy Murray, mother of Andy and Jamie Murray, respectively former men’s singles and doubles World No. 1 players. A leading advocate for grassroots tennis development, Judy has championed initiatives aimed at broadening access to the sport and empowering coaches to create positive and inclusive tennis experiences for young people.

Judy began her visit with a dedicated workshop for HKCTA coaches, including those involved in the primary school tennis initiative under the Jockey Club Tennis Serves Programme. During the session, she shared her expertise in junior player development, demonstrated a range of coaching activities and highlighted effective methods for making tennis engaging and enjoyable for children. The workshop equippedparticipating coaches with practical knowledge that can be applied to support grassroots tennis development in Hong Kong.

Liu Ka Wing, HKCTA coach and assistant coach for the workshop said, “It was a fruitful morning working with and learning from Judy. This workshop has been a valuable learning experience and a timely reminder that children learn best through imitation and play. Even for a simple forehand swing, a step-by-step approach is essential. Moving forward, I will put even more thought into designing lessons that help children learn progressively through games and activities.”

In the afternoon, Judy and the participating coaches visited Endeavourers Leung Lee Sau Yu Memorial Primary School, a participating school in the Jockey Club Tennis Serves Programme, where she conducted a children’s tennis clinic while the coaches put their newly acquired knowledge into practice. About 40 students learned basic tennisskills and took part in a range of interactive drills and activities.

The school visit also featured a special sharing session between Judy and Cyndi Thompson, mother of local tennis talent Kai Thompson. Joined by about 40 parents from the school, Judy and Cyndi reflected on the rewards and challenges of supporting their children on their sporting journeys, and exchanged their experiences with participating parents. They also highlighted the important role parents play in encouraging their children to pursue their dreams, whether in sport or life.

Cyndi Thompson said, “Our family has always maintained the same routine, regardless of whether Kai wins or loses. We are here to support him in pursuing his tennis dreams, and our focus has always been on his growth, enjoyment of the sport and development as a person. Results come and go, but the values he learns through tennis, such as discipline, resilience and respect, are what matter most. We couldn’t be prouder than when we see him putting on the Hong Kong colours and giving his best to compete for Hong Kong on the international stage.”

Speaking about the visit, Judy Murray said, “It is a pleasure to be back in Hong Kong and interact with such enthusiastic groups of coaches, parents and students. Back in Scotland, the weather often kept us indoor, which led me to create simple games for my sons. Over time, I realised these simple activities were incredibly effective in developing hand-eye and foot-eye coordination. I am therefore delighted to share my experiences with coaches and parents here, and to highlight the importance of making learning fun and engaging for children.”

The programme will provide more opportunities for close to 7,000 beneficiaries in the months ahead. Participants will have opportunities to attend tournaments and experience world-class tennis in person, while selected participants will also take part in guided tours, beginner courses, workshops and fun days.

The programme also includes a Mentorship Programme for tertiary students interested in pursuing careers in sports and event management. Participants will go behind the scenes to learn about the operations of major sporting events, receive relevant training, and serve as volunteers at the tournaments. Through this practical placement opportunity, the Mentorship Programme will provide participants with invaluable industryexperience while supporting the continued growth and development of Hong Kong’s sports sector.

Michael Cheng, President of HKCTA, said, “We sincerely thank HKJC for its generous support in helping bring these tournaments closer to communities across Hong Kong. Through the Programme, we hope to spark a lasting interest in tennis among people of all ages and backgrounds, inspiring more individuals to embrace the sport and lead active, healthy lifestyles.”

Since 2016, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (“the Trust”) has supported HKCTA’s Jockey Club Tennis Rocks programme, which seeks to promote tennis among people of all ages and abilities. In 2025, the Trust further supported grassroots tennis development through the Jockey Club Tennis Serves Programme, which includes both school- and community-based tennis and pickleball initiatives aimed at encouraging students, older adults, and persons with special needs to adopt active and healthy lifestyles.

Oral health is an important building block for a healthy community, particularly at the primary level where “prevention is better than cure” is as vital as in any other area of healthcare. In particular, given the shortage of dentists and other healthcare professionals, The Hong Kong Jockey Club recognises that dental hygienists can play a greater role in preventive dental care and community education.

Responding to this opportunity, and with the Government having introduced of a statutory registration system for dental hygienists with suitable adjustments to their scope of practice, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, through its Charities Trust, approved a donation of nearly HK$72 million to the Vocational Training Council (VTC) to establish the Jockey Club Dental Care Training Centre.

The Centre will provide state-of-the-art facilities and a training environment that replicates a real-world dental clinic for the newly launched Professional Diploma in Dental Hygiene programme, thereby strengthening the training capacity for dental hygienists. In addition, the Club will provide full tuition sponsorship for selected students, encouraging more aspiring individuals to pursue careers as dental hygienists and serve the community.

The opening ceremony of the Jockey Club Dental Care Training Centre was held today (23 October), officiated by Dr Cecilia Fan, Under Secretary for Health of the Hong Kong SAR Government; Philip Lo, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and Jeffrey Lam, Chairman of the Vocational Training Council.

Speaking at the ceremony, Club Steward Philip Lo said that “Health” and “Development of Professionals” are key focus areas of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The Club has long attached great importance to the development of primary healthcare services in Hong Kong and the cultivation of relevant professionals, with a view to addressing the community’s long-term need for quality healthcare services. Looking ahead, through cross-project collaboration, the Club will continue to advance its efforts to strengthen preventive and primary healthcare services, nurture healthcare professionals, and promote healthy lifestyles, with a view to enhancing the physical and mental well-being of the community.

Located at the VTC Chai Wan campus, the approximately 18,000-square-feet Jockey Club Dental Care Training Centre is equipped with professional dental training facilities, including dental chairs, X-ray systems, suction systems and compressors, as well as virtual reality training systems and dental simulation equipment. These facilities provide students with a learning experience that closely replicates a real clinical environment. The centre also organises workshops to enhance public awareness of oral health.

In addition to supporting the establishment of the centre, the Club will support 36 students across three cohorts over a five-year period to study for the VTC’s Professional Diploma in Dental Hygiene programme. Under The Hong Kong Jockey Club Tuition Sponsorship Scheme for Professional Diploma in Dental Hygiene, each eligible student will receive full tuition support up to HK$140,000. Upon graduation, these students will be required to serve, under designated conditions, in NGOs or Government dental clinics, applying their professional knowledge and skills to benefit the community. The 18-month programme has been accredited by the Dental Council of Hong Kong, enabling graduates to meet the qualifications for registration as dental hygienists. The first cohort of 60 students graduated in August this year.

Over the years, the Club has continuously supported oral health initiatives, providing people of different ages, backgrounds and needs with professional and appropriate dental screening, treatment, care and education services. These initiatives include the Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project, which provides oral examinations and oral health education for kindergarten children; the Jockey Club Special Oral Health Programme, which provides basic dental services for people diagnosed with dementia or Parkinson’s disease; the Jockey Club Kwai Tsing Community-based Dental Support Programme, which provides subsidised dental services for residents in need in Kwai Tsing; and the Jockey Club Dental Care Programme, which provides subsidised dental services as well as education for people with financial difficulties, among others. The three primary healthcare dental clinics in Tai Kok Tsui, Yuen Long and Sham Shui Po, supported under the Jockey Club Dental Care Programme, also enable dental hygienists to fully utilise their professional expertise to provide preventive care and oral health education, enabling dentists to focus on more complex cases and enhancing overall service efficiency. The clinics also provide placement opportunities for students, enabling them to gain practical experience in serving underprivileged groups in community settings. The above initiatives not only address demands for dental services, but also enhance professionalism among dental hygienists and ultimately promote the provision of preventive dental services in the community.

The Club’s support for the Jockey Club Dental Care Training Centre, like all of its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model, through which the Club generates sustainable economic and social value for the community through tax contributions, charitable donations and employment opportunities.