Hong Kong padel player Venise Chan targets Asian Games glory after switching from tennis
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong tennis prodigy-turned-padel star Venise Chan Wing-yau is set to compete in her fourth Asian Games, this time in padel as the sport makes its continental debut. After being crowned the "future Venus Williams of Hong Kong" following a national junior final at age 12, Chan reinvented herself as a padel player in early 2026 and has risen to become Asia's No. 9 and Hong Kong's top-ranked player. Her journey from tennis to pickleball to padel reflects a remarkable 25-year athletic career that continues to defy conventional sporting boundaries.
Key Points
- Venise Chan Wing-yau, dubbed the "future Venus Williams of Hong Kong" after reaching national junior final at age 12, will compete at her fourth Asian Games in padel
- She switched focus to padel at the beginning of 2026 after originally trying the sport with a colleague at Carret Private Capital, where she works as risk and compliance director
- Currently ranked No. 9 in Asia and 282nd in the world in padel, standing as Hong Kong's top player in the sport
- The Asian Games will mark padel's debut as an official medal sport, with Chan's participation coming 12 years after her last Games appearance as a tennis player
- In Bali training camp with Hong Kong squad, she partnered Spanish world No. 72 Alba Perez Momha to quarter-finals on padel's second-tier Cupra FIP Tour
- Chan previously helped Hong Kong reach World Cup final in pickleball in America last year, showcasing her versatility across racquet sports
Why It Matters
Padel's inclusion in the Asian Games for the first time signals the sport's rapid global expansion, and Chan's participation highlights Hong Kong's growing competitiveness in emerging athletic disciplines beyond traditional strength areas . Her improbable comeback at 37, transitioning from a lifelong tennis career to elite-level padel within months, demonstrates how the city's athletes are increasingly willing to pursue unconventional sporting pathways that could inspire a new generation of multi-sport competitors.
Padel's inclusion in the Asian Games for the first time signals the sport's rapid global expansion, and Chan's participation highlights Hong Kong's growing competitiveness in emerging athletic disciplines beyond traditional strength areas . Her improbable comeback at 37, transitioning from a lifelong tennis career to elite-level padel within months, demonstrates how the city's athletes are increasingly willing to pursue unconventional sporting pathways that could inspire a new generation of multi-sport competitors.