From Hating Tennis to Chasing ATP Points: How Man Lok Found His Game

Man Lok used to hate tennis. He was lazy, preferred basketball, and only started enjoying the sport at 16. Now he's a 2026 SCAA Open Challenger.

The Late Bloomer

Most tennis players start young and fall in love immediately. Not Man Lok. His dad is a tennis coach. He introduced Man Lok to the sport early. But the young Man Lok wasn't interested. He was lazy—his words, not mine—and basketball was more fun. Tennis felt like a chore. That changed at 16. He started winning. And winning changed everything. "I finally started enjoying tennis," he says. It's a refreshingly honest admission. No childhood dream. No instant connection. Just a slow-burn love affair that took years to develop.

So what does Man Lok love most about tennis now? It's not the trophies. It's not the fame. It's the pressure. "The thing I love most is how it developed our mental strength of dealing with pressure," he explains. "You're on your own in critical moments and you have to solve it in split seconds. I enjoy the thrill and satisfaction after I execute the stress." That's a player who has learned to embrace the heat. He doesn't run from pressure. He runs toward it.

Man Lok's journey to the SCAA Open main draw wasn't a straight line. He's played his share of qualifying rounds—where the intensity is lower and the margins are tighter. "Entering main draw right away this year forces me to raise my intensity and focus from the get go," he says. There's no room for slow starts. No time to ease into the tournament. He has to be ready from the first point.

The SCAA Open holds special meaning for Man Lok. In 2024, he won his first and biggest junior singles title there. "It helped me gain significant confidence in my game," he says. That victory at the historic SCAA venue planted a seed. It showed him what was possible. Now he's back, not as a junior champion, but as an Open challenger. The history of the tournament isn't lost on him. "It's always a pleasure to play at historical events, such as SCAA being around for so long."

When things go wrong on court, Man Lok doesn't spiral. He doesn't overthink. In fact, he barely thinks at all. "To be honest, nothing really goes through my mind," he admits. It's not that he doesn't care. It's that he's gained perspective. Life has thrown harder challenges at him. Tennis, in comparison, doesn't feel so heavy.

"In life there's so much more hardships that I've faced and seen that ultimately I find the challenges in tennis doesn't matter. I always tell my inner voice to let go of the points I lost before and move on."

That's a mature mindset for any player. He's learned to separate the game from his self-worth.

Injuries. Bad weather. Bad line calls. Schedule delays. Every player faces them. Man Lok's approach is simple. "I believe that everything happens for a reason," he says. He tries not to make a big deal out of the uncontrollable. If he's injured, he focuses on rehab. If the weather is bad, he distracts himself from complaining. He accepts what he can't change and moves forward.

Balancing school and tennis is tough for any young athlete. For Man Lok, the biggest challenge isn't the training or the studying. It's the travel. Since he takes public transport between school, training, and matches, the commute eats up significant time. "I try to use those traveling times in trains to finish my school work," he explains. "So that after training I'll be able to rest and prepare for the next day while not missing any school work." It's a practical solution to a real problem. Every minute counts.

The Thailand Turning Point

Every challenger has a defining moment. For Man Lok, it happened in Nonthaburi, Thailand, at an ITF J30 tournament last summer. He had to come through a tough qualifying draw. In his second round match, he was down 0-5 in the second set. He was on the edge of giving up. Then his friends showed up to support him. "Their support gave me a lot of drive," he recalls. "In the end I qualified and made the second round in main draw."

But the real confidence boost came in doubles. He and his partner faced a world top 100 player. They lost, but they put up a good fight. They earned respect from that player. "Being acknowledged by players on such a high caliber gave me confidence and made me believe that I have a shot to win big titles, such as the upcoming SCAA Open."

The Parental Foundation

Behind Man Lok's journey are his parents. His dad, a tennis coach, helped build his fundamentals and shape his unique game style. His mom brings him to all his matches. "She knows me the best on and off the court," he says. "She's the cornerstone of building my confidence and positive mentality. "It's a classic support system, but Man Lok's appreciation for it feels genuine. He knows he wouldn't be here without them.

No Expectations, Just Belief

Transitioning from qualifier to main draw comes with a mental shift. Suddenly you have something to defend. Expectations change. "It's not easy to transition from qualifiers to main draw," Man Lok admits. "Since now you have something to defend and might end up not reaching your expected results. "His solution? Reframe the narrative.

"I tell myself that it doesn't matter where or which round I came from. Once I'm in the maindraw, I believe that I belong there and I will try my best to stay in the place where I belong."

He doesn't see himself as a qualifier who made good. He sees himself as a player who belongs.

Despite his calm exterior, Man Lok hates losing—especially close matches. "Every time I lose a close match, I'll remember that feeling and work extra hard and try to get the win next time."

He doesn't dwell on the past. He uses it as fuel. That loss becomes motivation. That pain becomes purpose.

Beyond the SCAA Open, Man Lok has big dreams. "I hope to receive my first professional ATP points and represent Hong Kong at the international level. This is the ultimate end goal of my tennis career. "It's a clear vision. A goal that drives him through the early mornings, the long commutes, the tough losses, and the pressure of competition.

The Advice He'd Give

If Man Lok could talk to his younger self—the lazy kid who preferred basketball—he'd say this: "I would've told myself to not take losses too seriously. I used to beat myself up mentally for losing matches, but now I realize that winning or losing is just part of the game. Either way you will learn and improve. "It's wisdom earned through experience. The journey from hating tennis to chasing professional points has taught him that the game is bigger than any single match.

The 2026 SCAA Open awaits. And Man Lok is ready to show what he's got.

This is the fourth feature in the SCAA Open Challengers series, profiling the athletes who define Hong Kong tennis.

This SCAA Open Challengers series is brought to you by 御藥堂, Shun Hing Group, HEAD, Set Win Group, Linkers CPA Limited, POI Corporation Limited, Titoni, SmartShots, Watson's, Gym Aesthetics GA, 奇華餅家, 甘棠燒鹅,儲存易迷你倉, Next Gen, TennisAsia, TNCL Total Nutrition Center Ltd, Little Apple Education Group Limited, Check Check Sin, ESG School HK, Wonder Mami, Eventist, Pones, 蒲昌酒庄. Wondermami.