From classroom to tennis court: RCHK rising tennis stars
By Serena Chan
Did you know we have an alumnus who is now a full-time tennis player? He’s ranked as the No. 1 junior tennis player in Hong Kong, and has been selected to represent Hong Kong in the 15th National Game, as well as the 2025 & 2026 Davis Cups. He has also debuted on ATP 250 (a world class professional men’s tennis tournament), competing with World No. 88 Emilio Nava, and recently reached the quarter final in his first Grand Slam. Also the 2026 Australian Open Junior Championships. Let’s meet Kai Thompson.
Kai was first introduced to tennis at four years old, watching his sister at her tennis lesson. He then started playing tennis and joined the RCHK tennis team, led by Mr. Nicholas Georgiou. Kai shared his memories from his time on the RCHK tennis team.
“My memories of being on the RCHK tennis team are very special to me. Tennis is usually an individual sport, and it can sometimes feel isolating. Since I used to play rugby and football, I really enjoyed the aspect of competing with the team. Being in a team means we can support each other, which makes the experience more enjoyable and adds a different dynamic to the game.”
RCHK is not where I first met Kai, it was on the tennis court. He was the big brother of the team when I was still tiny, always with a cheerful smile on his face. He demonstrated techniques and hit balls with us patiently, bringing good energy and making the practice fun. As an alumnus of RCHK, Kai has a few words of encouragement for current RCHK students who are also passionate about tennis.
“I think it’s really important to have something you enjoy outside of studying. For me, exercise helps clear my mind and keeps me focused when I’m back to academics. Doing something you love and giving it your best can be really rewarding — it gives you a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep improving. I’ve learned that results always come when you’re consistent and put in the effort.”
In early 2025, a team of eight primary students including myself represented RCHK and made an impressive debut in the 12th All Hong Kong Inter-Primary Schools Tennis Competition organized by the School Sports Federation of Hong Kong (HKSSF). We showcased strong performances, the Boys C group won the Merit Award among 64 schools, and RCHK secured 15th place overall out of more than 118 schools. It is an outstanding achievement for our first-time entry. We are incredibly proud to represent RCHK and bring this success back to our school. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Mr Doucette, for his generous support, which played an important role in helping us make the HKSSF tennis competition possible. I have created a video to record this wonderful memory to share it with everyone:
Playing with the school team is not only fun; it also consolidates the valuable spirit of teamwork, and develops a sense of belonging to our school and strong friendships through shared challenges and achievements. I’ve tried it, and it is definitely awesome. Did you know there are lots of tennis players currently studying at RCHK, not only in primary but also in secondary? Let’s recreate the tennis vibe at RCHK and hopefully bring back our Black Kites tennis team in the near future.