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On the ITTF World Tour, Lee Ho Ching has been very much in form reaching the latter stages of the Women’s Singles event on more than one occasion.
At the LIEBHERR World Championships in Paris, on the fourth day of play, Thursday 16th May 2013, she was very much in form when it came to doubles.
She was a vital membership of a partnership that caused the biggest upset to date in any of the three doubles disciplines – Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles
Partnering Jiang Tianyi, in the fourth round of the Mixed Doubles event, the Hong Kong partnership rose to the occasion.
They beat the Chinese duo of Qiu Yike and Wen Jia, the no.2 seeds, in six games (11-7, 1-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 12-10) to book their place in the quarter-finals.
“We didn’t think we could win”, reflected Lee Ho Ching. “We just did our best and it means that Hong Kong will win a medal.”
A minimum bronze medal is assured for Hong Kong; in the quarter-finals they meet compatriots Cheung Yuk and Jiang Huajun; they accounted for Tang Peng and Ng Wing Nam in an all Hong Kong contest (14-16,11-8,11-9,11-13,11-5,11-9).
Success in the Mixed Doubles event was soon followed by success in the second round of the Women’s Doubles competition.
Partnering Jiang Huajun, victory over the Russian partnership of Maria Dolgikh and Polina Mikhailova was recorded.
A shock win for Jiang Tianyi and Lee Ho Ching in the Mixed Doubles and the demise of one Chinese partnership; there was a second upset and the departure of a second Chinese pairing.
Chen Qi and Hu Limei, the no.4 seeds, suffered defeat at the hands of Korea’s Cho Eonrae and Yang Haeun in a close seven games encounter (11-8, 11-5, 2-11, 8-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8).
Defeats for Qiu Yike and Wen Jia in addition to Chen Qi and Hu Limei means that only one of the top four seeded pairs has progressed to the quarter-finals of the Mixed Doubles and only one Chinese pair.
The pair in question is Wang Liqin and Rao Jingwen; they fit both criteria. They are the top seeds and of course both from China.
However, by no means was their journey the quarter-finals comfortable. They needed six games to beat Poland’s Pawel Fertikowski and Katarzyna Grzybowska (10-12, 11-5, 4-11,11-7,12-10, 11-5).
Article By: ITTF - Ian Marshall
Video interview - Lee Ho Ching
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