Tennis legend Rafael Nadal joined Adrian Cheng and Jennifer Yu Cheng at the Rosewood Hong Kong for The Children Ball, where two foundations proved that championing children’s mental health is paramount
Charity gala fatigue tends to set in around October in Hong Kong. Another ballroom, another auction paddle, another reason to dust off the evening jacket or gown. But those invited to the Rosewood Hong Kong on October 24 showed no signs of ennui--especially when Rafael Nadal walked in to co-host The Children Ball, an event bringing together The Wemp Foundation and the Rafa Nadal Foundation to support children’s mental well-being through sport and play.
The tennis champion wasn’t there for a mere photo op. He and Adrian Cheng—founder of The Wemp Foundation—have developed a friendship, the kind that began with launching Asia’s first Rafa Nadal Tennis Center here and has evolved into something more substantial. Alongside Cheng’s wife Jennifer Yu Cheng, they co-hosted The Children Ball—an evening of purpose.
As he addressed the room, Nadal’s message was disarmingly straightforward: sport isn’t just about winning matches. It’s about building resilience, confidence and mental fortitude in young people who might not otherwise have access to those tools. His foundation’s work in Spain and India follows this philosophy, and now, through this partnership with Wemp, that approach extends further into Asia.
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Adrian Cheng and Rafael Nadal
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Cheng also has ambitions for Hong Kong beyond being a financial centre. With more than 10,000 registered charities already operating here, he sees the city as a potential philanthropic powerhouse—a place where local resources can address global challenges. The collaboration with Nadal’s Spanish foundation proves the concept: two organisations, continents apart, united by the belief that children’s mental health deserves serious attention and serious investment.
Wemp has quietly become Hong Kong’s largest organisation focused on children’s mental well-being, running programmes across all 18 districts. It works with families, schools and communities. What the Chengs have built with Wemp extends far beyond a single evening—the real work continues in classrooms, community centres and family homes across Hong Kong. Getting Nadal in the room at The Children Ball was impressive. The commitment to actually changing young lives? That’s the harder part—and the Chengs are getting it done.
