Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi and Lee Ho Ching, alongside DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong and Kim Jong, reached the final of the Mixed Doubles event at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon by emerging successful in their semi-final contests on Thursday 2^nd October.

In the penultimate round Jiang Tianyi and Lee Ho Ching, the no.6 seeds, ended the hopes of the host nation by beating Kim Minseok and Jeon Jihee, the no.7 seeds, in closely fought seven games duel (11-8, 7-11, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3); whilst Kim Hyok Bong and Kim Jong stifled Japanese aspirations.

The no.13 seeds and winners of the Mixed Doubles title at the Liebherr 2013 World Championships in Paris, the DPRO Korean duo underlined the fact that have every intention of adding another title to their collection.

They accounted for Japan’s Seiya Kishikawa and Ai Fukuhara in five games (3-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9).

Electric Atmosphere
Success for Hong Kong and it was success in an electric atmosphere, with the passionate crowd in the Suwon Gymnasium willing their charges forward.

"In the first three games we were very active and very focused”, said Lee Ho Ching. “In the fourth game we lost our concentration; the spectators were so loud and we were already thinking about being in the final, which was a distraction.”

Advice Heeded
The Hong Kong duo lost the fourth and fifth games but the advice from Li Ching, no stranger to the big stage when doubles is concerned, he was a Men’s Doubles silver medallist with Ko Lai Chak at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, steadied the ship.

“After the fifth game, our coach told us to relax and to regain our concentration, which worked”, added Lee Ho Ching who, alongside Jiang Tianyi, accomplished a task which was certainly demanding. Relax when the door to the final beckons on the home territory of your opponent; it’s no easy assignment.

“Next we play the World Champions in the final”, concluded Lee Ho Ching. “This means they have all the pressure on them and not us; we will just go out there and play, as it is amazing just to be in the final."

Women's Doubles Success
Success for Lee Ho Ching in the Mixed Doubles; there was also success in the Women’s Doubles and as in the Mixed Doubles in opposition to Korea.

Partnering Ng Wing Nam and occupying the no.4 seeded position in the draw, the duo accounted for Jeon Jihee and Lee Eunhee, the no.11 seeds, in their quarter-final meeting (11-5, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9).

Victory for Lee Ho Ching and Ng Wing Nam as seeding predicted but there was one last eight upset and more success for Kim Jong.

Partnering colleague Kim Hye Song, the DPR Korean duo, occupying the no.13 seeded position in the draw, overcame Japan’s Sayaka Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.3 seeds (3-11, 11-8 , 8-11, 12-10, 11-9).

China the Nemesis
Problems for Japan and Korea at the quarter-final stage of the Women’s Doubles event and there were more with China proving the nemesis.

Liu Shiwen and Wu Yang, the top seeds, inflicted more pain on Korea by beating Park Youngsook and Yang Haeun, the no.8 seeds (11-6, 11-7, 11-8); whilst Chen Meng and Zhu Yuling, the no.2 seeds, halted Japanese dreams by defeating Ai Fukuhara and Misako Wakamiya, the no.5 seeds (11-5, 11-3, 16-14).

Mixed Fortunes for Japan
Disappointment for Japan and Korea at the quarter-final stage of the Women’s Doubles event; at the same stage of the Men’s Doubles, it was the same for Korea but better news for Japan.

Korea’s Kim Minseok and Lee Jungwoo, the no.8 seeds, departed at the hands of China’s Ma Long and Zhang Jike, the no.2 seeds (11-6, 11-13, 12-10,  4-11, 11-6); whilst Japan’s Seiya Kishikawa and Jun Mizutani, the no.4 seeds, suffered defeat against Singapore’s Gao Ning and Li Hu, the no.7 seeds (11-9, 14-12, 8-11, 11-3).

However, Japan is guaranteed a medal. Kenta Matsudaira and Koki Niwa, the no.5 seeds, beat DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong and Pak Sin Hyok, the no.17 seeds (10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9).

Top Seeds Progress
A place in the semi-finals for Japan and also for a second Chinese pairing; Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the top seeds, beat Hong Kong’s Tang Peng and Wong Chun Ting, the no.6 seeds (11-6, 13-11, 11-1).

Meanwhile, in the Men’s Singles event, Jiang Tianyi suffered a third round defeat at the hands of Korea’s Joo Saehyuk, the no.8 seed (11-6, 11-8, 11-1, 11-9); whilst in the Women’s Singles event, Lee Ho Ching was beaten at the quarter-final stage by China’s Liu Shiwen, the top seed (11-8, 11-3, 11-7, 11-7).

Play concludes on Saturday 4^th October.

Results
Men’s Singles: Round Two

Xu Xin (CHN) bt Purshottam Bajracharya (NEP) 11-4, 11-2, 11-3, 11-2

Chen Chien-An (TPE) bt Albahrani Husain (KUW) 11-2, 11-5, 11-2, 11-5

Padasak Tanviriyavechakul (THA) bt Sharath Kamal Achanta (IND) 6-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9

Gao Ning (SIN) bt Bilegt Batkhisig (MGL) 11-3, 11-2, 11-2, 11-1

Joo Saehyuk bt Choe Il (PRK) 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7

Jiang Tianyi (HKG) bt Naif Mohammed Aljadai (KSA) 11-2, 11-3, 11-4, 11-3

Noshad Alamiyan (IRI) bt Muhammad Rameez (PAK) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7

Jun Mizutani (JPN) bt Muneer Ahmed Ali Aldhubhani (YEM) 11-2, 11-2, 11-5, 11-6

Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) bt Muhammad Asim Qureshi (PAK) 11-3, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5

Kim Donghyun (KOR) bt Kirill Gerassimenko (KAZ) 13-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-3

Soumyajit Ghosh (IND) bt Thavisack Phathaphone (LAO) 11-5, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4

Pak Sin Hyok (PRK) bt Tang Peng (HKG) 13-11, 11-9, 10-12, 4-11, 11-9, 1-11, 11-7

Koki Niwa (JPN) bt Abdulaziz Abbad Alabbad (KSA) 12-10, 12-10, 11-5, 11-8

Afshin Noroozi (IRI) bt Omar Ahmed Ali (YEM) 11-3, 11-4, 11-2, 11-3

Li Hu (SIN) bt Lkhagvasuren Enkhbat (MGL) 11-1, 11-2, 11-6, 11-5

Fan Zhendong (CHN) bt Chang Hoi Wa (MAC) 11-1, 11-5, 11-2, 11-4

Men’s Singles: Round Three

Xu Xin (CHN) by Chen Chien-An (TPE) 10-12, 6-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 11-7, 11-8

Gao Ning (SIN) bt Padasak Tanviriyavechakul (THA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8

Joo Saehyuk (KOR) bt Jiang Tiangyi (HKG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-1, 11-9)

Jun Mizutani (JPN) bt Noshad Alamiyan 11-4, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5

Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) bt Kim Donghyun (KOR) 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 11-6, 11-13, 17-15

Pak Sinhyok (PRK) bt Soumyajit Ghosh (IND) 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11, 11-8

Koki Niwa (JPN) bt Afshin Noroozi (IRI) 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9, 13-11

Fan Zhendong (CHN) bt Li Hu (SIN) 12-10, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3

Men’s Singles: Quarter-Final

Xu Xin (CHN) bt Gao Ning (SIN) 13-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5

Joo Saehyuk (KOR) bt Jun Mizutani (JPN) 13-11, 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-3

Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) bt Pak Sin Hyok (PRK) 11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8

Fan Zhendong (CHN) bt Koki Niwa (JPN) 11-4, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7

Women’s Singles: Round Two

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Seanggdavieng Douangpanya (LAO) 11-4, 11-3, 11-1, 11-7

Ri Mi Gyong (PRK) bt Suthasini Sawettabut (THA) 14-12, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6

Lin Ye (SIN) bt Batkhishig Batsiakan (MGL) w/o

Lee Ho Ching (HKG ) bt Neda Shahsavari (IRI) 11-5, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6

Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Maryam Alqasimi (BRN) 11-3, 11-1, 11-4, 11-6

Cheng I-Ching (TPE) bt Muena Mohamed (MDV) 11-2, 11-2, 11-5, 11-1

Manika Batra (IND) bt Ma Chao In (MAC) 11-7, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6

Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) bt Beh Lee Wei (MAS) 11-1, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9

Zhu Yuling (CHN) bt Lee Rou You (MAS) 11-5, 11-3, 11-2, 11-3

Ng Wing Nam (HKG) bt Ankita Das (IND) 11-8, 11-5, 4-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-4

Seo Hyowon (KOR) bt Rahia Kashif (PAK) 11-3, 11-3, 11-4, 11-2

Ai Fukuhara (JPN) bt Shrestha Nabita (NEP )11-2, 11-1, 11-2, 11-2

Lee I-Chen (TPE) bt Fathimath Jumana Nimal (MDV 11-1, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5

Nanthana Komwong (THA) bt Enkhjin Barkhas (MGL) 11-9, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Yuliya Ryabova (KAZ) 11-1, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5

Women’s Singles: Round Three

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Ri Mi Gyong (PRK) 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4

Lee Ho Ching (HKG ) bt Lin Ye (SIN) 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8

Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Cheng I-Ching (TPE) 12-10, 4-11, 11-8, 14-12, 6-11, 8-11, 11-8

Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) bt Manika Batra (IND) 11-9, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8

Zhu Yuling (CHN) bt Ng Wing Nam (HKG) 11-4, 15-13, 11-3, 11-9

Seo Hyowon (KOR) bt Ri Myong Sun (PRK) 12-14, 12-10, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 11-8

Ai Fukuhara (JPN) bt Lee I-Chen (TPE) 10-12, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Nanthana Komwong (THA) 8-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7, 11-5

Women’s Singles: Quarter-Finals

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Lee Ho Ching (HKG ) 11-8, 11-3, 11-7, 11-7

Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7

Zhu Yuling (CHN) bt Seo Hyowon (KOR) 11-4, 11-3, 11-8, 11-8

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Ai Fukuhara (JPN) 11-9, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 3-11, 8-11, 11-6

Men’s Doubles: Round Three

Fan Zhendong / Xu Xin (CHN) bt Soumyajit Ghosh / Harmeet Desai (IND) 11-9, 9-11, 11-1, 11-5

Tang Peng / Wong Chung Ting (HKG) bt Kim Donghyun / Jeong Sangeun (KOR)  7-11, 13-11, 11-5, 11-3

Gao Ning / Li Hu (SIN) bt Chiang Hung-Chieh / Huang Sheng-Sheng (TPE) 12-10, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4

Seiya Kishikawa  / Jun Mizutani (JPN) bt Abdulaziz Alabbad and Naif Mohammed Aljadai 11-4, 11-5, 11-3

Kim Hyok Bong / Pak Sin Hyok (PRK) bt Chen Feng / Yang Zi (SIN) 5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9

Kenta Matsudaira / Koki Niwa (JPN) bt Sharath Kamal Achanta / Amalraj Anthony 11-5, 11-5, 11-4

Kim Minseok / Lee Jungwoo (KOR) bt Jiang Tianyi / Leung Chu Yan (HKG) 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2)

Ma Long / Zhang Jike (CHN) bt Noshad Alamiyan / Afshin Noroozi (IRI) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3

Men’s Doubles: Quarter-Finals

Fan Zhendong / Xu Xin (CHN) bt Tang Peng / Wong Chung Ting (HKG) 11-6, 13-11, 11-1

Gao Ning / Li Hu (SIN) bt Seiya Kishikawa  / Jun Mizutani (JPN) 11-9, 14-12, 8-11, 11-3

Kenta Matsudaira / Koki Niwa (JPN) bt Kim Hyok Bong / Pak Sin Hyok (PRK) 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9

Ma Long / Zhang Jike (CHN) bt Kim Minseok / Lee Jungwoo (KOR) 11-6, 11-13, 12-10, 4-11, 11-6)

Women’s Doubles: Round Three

Liu Shiwen / Wu Yang (CHN) bt Lin Ye / Zhou Yihan (SIN) 12-10, 11-4, 12-10

Park Youngsook / Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Poulomi Ghatak / Ankita Das (IND) 11-6, 11-6, 11-3

Kim Jong / Kim Hye Song (PRK) bt Doo Hoi Kem / Tie Yana 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7

Kasumi Ishikawa / Sayaka Hirano (JPN) bt Cheng I-Cheng / Huang Yi-Hua 11-9, 12-10, 11-8

Lee Ho Ching / Ng Wing Nam (HKG) bt Nanthana Komwong / Suthasini Sawettabut 11-9, 11-9, 12-10

Jeon Jihee / Lee Eunhee (KOR) bt Ri Myong Sun / Kim Song (PRK) 6-11, 11-5, 13-11, 11-7

Ai Fukuhara / Misako Wakamiya (JPN) bt Chen Szu-Yu / Lee I-Chen (TPE) 6-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6

Chen Meng / Zhu Yuling (CHN) bt Nanthana Komwong / Suthasini Sawettabut 11-9, 11-9, 12-10

Women’s Doubles: Quarter-Finals

Liu Shiwen / Wu Yang (CHN) bt Park Youngsook / Yang Haeun (KOR) 11-6, 11-7 11-8

Kim Jong / Kim Hye Song (PRK) bt Kasumi Ishikawa / Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 3-11, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9

Lee Ho Ching / Ng Wing Nam (HKG) bt Jeon Jihee / Lee Eunhee (KOR) 11-5, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9

Chen Meng / Zhu Yuling (CHN) bt Ai Fukuhara / Misako Wakamiya (JPN) 11-5, 11-3, 16-14

Mixed Doubles: Quarter-Finals

Jiang Tianyi / Lee Ho Ching (HKG) bt Fan Zhendong / Chen Meng (CHN) 11-9, 11-9, 11-8

Kim Minseok / Jeon Jihee (KOR) bt Koki Niwa / Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 11-4, 12-10, 8-11, 10-12, 11-6

Seiya Kishikawa / Ai Fukuhara (JPN) bt Cheung Yuk / Jiang Huajun (HKG) 11-8, 8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-3

Kim Hyok Bong / Kim Jong (PRK) bt Zhou Yu / Wu Yang (CHN) 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5

Mixed Doubles: Semi-Finals

Jiang Yianyi / Lee Ho Ching (HKG) bt Kim Minseok / Jeon Jihee (KOR) 11-8, 7-11, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3

Kim Hyok Bong / Kim Jong (PRK) bt Seiya Kishikawa / Ai Fukuhara (JPN) 3-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall

Photo by: Courtesy of Organising Committee