| Teenage Hong Kong Trio Make Dream Start at Salwa Cup in Kuwait |
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2/11/2009 Kuwait Open
All three young ladies could be on duty in Qatar, a mere one hour flight to the south but the three 16 years old are not present at the Doha Junior Open, the second stop on the 2009 ITTF Junior Circuit; instead they are in Kuwait City, competing on the ITTF Pro Tour at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open.
Furthermore, all three showed they had every right to be in Kuwait; all were at ease against more senior adversaries.
All won their opening matches in the qualification stage of the Women Singles event and none needed a deciding seventh game.
Successes
Guan Meng Yuan was too consistent for the defensive skills of Germany Rosalia St鄣r winning 11-7, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 whilst Ng Wing Nam was more than competent against the attacking delights of India Mouma Das. She won 14-12, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9.
Not be left out, the youngest of the trio, Lee Ho Ching, showed her class to beat Alexandra Privalova of Belarus in six games. She succeeded 11-6, 11-6, 13-15, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8.
Senior Team
All three have now graduated to the Hong Kong senior women team which consists of nine players; all are present in Kuwait; the other members being Tie Yana, Jiang Huajun, Lin Ling, Zhang Rui and Yu Kwok See.
They are now members of the Hong Kong senior team so it is important they play on the ITTF Pro Tour to gain experience at senior level? explained Li Huifen, the Women Team Coach who in 1988 was the silver medallist in the Women Singles event at the Seoul Olympic Games and has been the guiding hand in Hong Kong women table tennis in recent times.
Playing on the ITTF Pro Tour enables them to learn from the best players in the world? continued Li Huifen, having been one herself. However, they will play in some junior events as well, this year.
English Skills
Li Huifen speaks a little English but the talents of Lee Ho Ching in translating were once again needed as they were when I first saw the fresh faced Lee Ho Ching in action.
The occasion was the ITTF World Cadet Challenge in the Dominican Republic in November 2005 when I watched her play for the Asian Girls?Team. She stood out from the crowd, she had time to play, her control over the table tennis ball was exquisite and her English skills were to the fore as I interviewed her coach, Dong Lun.
Fine Player
Like Li Huifen, Dong Lun is a former Chinese international, a win over Jan-Ove Waldner being in his repertoire and noted for having the biggest feet ever known in the Chinese national men team.
On that occasion Dong Lun, who is still the coach for the junior players in Hong Kong, was pleased with the efforts of Lee Ho Ching as was Li Huifen in Kuwait, four years later.
All Smiles
Adopting the maternal role, Liu Huifen was all smiles as she prepared Lee Ho Ching for the fray against Alexandra Privalova; with a fresh faced innocence Lee Ho Ching captured the first two games, her forehand topspin to the backhand of her adversary reaping rewards.
However, to her credit Alexandra Privalova responded, she won the third and fifth games but at the end of the day it was the class of Lee Ho Ching that told.
Changed Direction
" I led 6-3 in the third game and I relaxed, I felt I could win" explained Lee Ho Ching. "She knew I would play to her backhand, so after the third game Li Huifen told me to change the direction of my play more." Lee Ho Ching obeyed the instructions, her poise and balance superb, her control over the table tennis ball outstanding and seemingly that split second extra time to play than her adversary.
It brought success and for Hong Kong, the start to the day could not have been better.
文章來源： 國際乒聯 ittf.com
作者: Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
照片：Qasem A. Mohammad 攝
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