Leon with his brother Luke at the ITF J30 in Manila
Leon is a name of Greek origin symbolizing strength and courage of a lion. And for Singaporean junior tennis player Leon Ho Wei Xi familial bond is part of what makes him tick more than just strength and courage.
Leon was the runners-up in the boy’s singles competition at the ATF Asia Under-14 Development Championships at the Morodok Tennis Complex last week.
“I am very close to my siblings,” said the 13-year-old, who was a semi-finalist with his brother Luke Ho at the ITF J30 Manila last November.
The brothers were also the quarter-finalists at the ITF J30 Singapore last month.
“Playing with him helped me gain my first ITF ranking points. I hope to bring it down this year,” said Leon, who currently has an ITF junior ranking of 3082 with his brother ranked 402.
At last week’s final, Leon was beaten 3-6, 1-6 by Vietnam’s Le Phu Gia.
“He was more solid and patient. When the rallies grew longer I was not patient and made the mistakes,” said Leon, who hopes to make another good run in Week 2 and perhaps win this time.
The support from his sister Laetitia Ho and parents Kok Sen Ho and Cynthia Kew has also been instrumental in his budding career.
“My mom was with me here (Phnom Penh) last week but had to go back on some urgent matters, She will be back in a few days hopefully to see me in the semi-finals,” added Leon, who has been a member of the Singaporean national junior team since 2023.
Leon, the current Singapore U-16 singles champion and his Anglo Chinese schoolmate Nicholas Ming are also down to play in the doubles in Phnom Penh. Last week they were beaten 4-6, 4-6 in the finals by Vietnams’ Vu Thuan Phong-Phu Gia.
Leon and Nicholas were also part of the island nation squad at the World Junior Tennis, Asia Oceania qualifying tournament in Sarawak, Malaysia last year.
Leon, who had also won the Singapore national Under-14 singles title in 2024, hopes to represent Singapore at the SEA Games and Davis Cup in the near future.
“I need to play more in the ITF circuit and eventually in the D1 and collegiate tennis,” he added.
Leon currently trains under the watchful eyes of coach Isaac Ong, a former Singaporean national player.
The youngster understands the need to put in the work in the coming years by training harder to achieve his goals.
“I just love eating and used to be chubby. But now I am leaner, signs of puberty,” he jested.
Just like his tennis idol Jannik Sinner, the three-time Grand Slam champion, Leon believes his serve and backhand are his biggest strength in his game.
These weapons helped Leon, who also enjoys playing pool and table tennis, to win both the singles and doubles titles at the ATF Under 14 in Singapore last December.
As the second seed, Leon was given a bye in the first round of the singles draw and will begin his campaign this week in Phnom Penh tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Aleksander Mikheichev, who failed to get past the second round last week, opened his campaign this week by defeating Xavier Brito of Timor Leste 6-0, 6-1.
Mean Sophanith, however was beaten 0-6, 1-6 in the first round by Yousuf Zaain Salaam of the Maldives.
Cambodian representatives in the girls singles – Morn Makara and Esther Srun Chomnith – were also shown the exit in the opening round.
RESULTS
Boys Singles First Round: Aleksander Mikheichev (Cam) bt Xavier Brito (Tls) 6-0, 6-1; Phoupha Chanthavong (Lao) bt Urnukh Munkhireedui (Mgl) 6-0, 6-1; Tshering Pelthop (Bhu) bt Martins Da Silva (Tls) 6-3, 6-3; Yousuf Zaain Salaam (Mdv) bt Mean Sophanith (Cam) 6-0, 6-1; Dudu Tenzin (Bhu) bt Batsaikhan Munkhochir (Mgl) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4; Md Jobair Islam (Ban) bt Mohamed Alson Saame (Mdv) 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
Boys Doubles First Round: Aleksander Mikheichev-Mean Sophanith (Cam) bt Xavier Brito de Carvalho-Martins Da Silva Jovanio (Tls) 6-1, 6-0: Muhammad Muaz-Muhammad Ibraheem Gill (Pak) bt Mohamed Alson Saame-Yousouf Zaain Salaam (Mdv) 6-1,6-1; Sanaxay Chansomphou-Phoupha Chanthavong (Lao) bt Urnukh Munkhireedui-Batsaikhan Munkhochir (Mgl) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
Girls Singles First Round: Soares Ofelia (Tls) bt Yidhenma Yithro Yitshog (Bhu) 6-1, 6-2; Sanaxay Chansomphou (Lao) bt Joel Lim (Bru) 6-2, 6-7 (13-15), 6-3; Eesha Rabbi (Pak) bt Morn Makara (Cam) 6-2, 6-0; Silivet Chanthaphone (Lao) bt Yangchen Sumeru (Bhu) 6-1, 6-1; Jannat Howlader (Ban) bt Shafeeu Isra Aara Ibrahim (Mdv) 6-3, 6-3; Goh Wei Rou (Bru) bt Lopes Dos Santos (Tls) 6-3, 6-1; Mastora Arfin (Ban) bt Manixone Phommavong (Lao) 6-2, 6-2; Ella Mhae Paglalunan (Phi) bt Esther Srun Chomnith (Cam) 6-0, 6-1
Girls Doubles First Round: Silivet Chanthaphone-Manixone Phommavong (Lao) bt Yidhenma Yithro Yitshog-Yangchen Sumeru (Bhu) 6-2, 6-1; Ofelia Soares-Lopes Dos Santos (Tls) bt Morn Makara-Esther Srun Chomnith (Cam) 6-2, 6-0; Eesha Rabbi-Khajida Khalil (Pak) bt Kanza Ismail Hameed-Isra Aara Ibrahim (Mdv) 7-5, 6-2
