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Remain calm, stay focused, be patient and don’t take any unnecessary risks; the advice is easy to administer, the necessary mental fortitude in order to put such counsel into practice requires immense strength.
Earlier in the year in February in Doha, at the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open, such was the guidance given to Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Nam in her first round Women’s Singles duel, where she faced the exquisite defensive skills of Japan’s Ayuka Tankioka.
The instruction was followed to letter; eventually in a gruelling contest that took one hour to complete, Ng Wang Nam emerged successful. She succeeded in seven games by the minimal two point margin in the decider (11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 6-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9).
Moreover, in the seventh game she was never ahead until 10-9!
Secured First Place
It is the qualities shown in that epic contest that saw the young lady from Hong Kong conclude the year in first place on the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Under 21 Women’s Singles Standings.
Thus she qualified for the US$1,000,000 Grand Finals to be staged in Dubai from Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th January 2014.
Nine Appearances
She appeared in nine tournaments in the itinerary, eight in the Under 21 age group; she competed in Kuwait, a tournament which did not hold an Under 21 Men’s Singles or Under 21 Women’s Singles event.
At the end of the year, she owned 633 points finishing ahead of Germany’s Petrissa Solja (613 points) and Japan’s Misaki Morizono (547 points).
Climbed Rankings
A year of success, it was also a year of progress; she started the year at no.84 on the Women’s World Rankings, she ended the year at no.56, the high spot being in July when she reached the highest status of her career; she was listed at no.54.
Equally, there was progress on the Under 21 Women’s World Rankings but not quite so marked. At the beginning of January she was named at no.19; when the December list was announced she stood at no.16 having been at no.12 in both July and August.
Started on High Note
The progress was undoubtedly as a result of her efforts and successes in Under 21 Women’s Singles events on the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour; a year that started on a high note and ended just one octave lower.
At the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Spanish Open in Almeira, the first tournament on the calendar, she won the Under 21 Women’s Singles event beating Russia’s Yana Noskova in the final, having ousted Germany’s Nina Mittelham in the round of the last eight and Brazil’s Caroline Kumahara in the penultimate round.
Furthermore, in the Women’s Singles event she enjoyed the highest finish of her career; she reached the quarter-finals where colleague and eventually winner, Jiang Huajun ended adventures.
Concluded with Silver Medal
Eight tournaments later, in her concluding appearance in 2013, she fell just one step short, experiencing mixed fortunes against Japanese adversaries.
She overcame Yui Hamamoto and Miyu Kato to book her place in the final, where she was beaten in six games by Misaki Morizono.
Title in China
Victory over Miyu Kato in Russia, earlier in the year, Ng Wing Nam had also enjoyed success against the talented 14 year old.
In Changchun at the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour China Open, she overcame Japanese starlet in the final of the Under 21 Women’s Singles event, displaying the same mental strength shown against Ayuka Tanioka in Doha earlier in the year.
Ng Wing Nam won a tension packed contest in seven games (11-8, 11-4, 6-11, 9-11, 12-14, 11-7, 12-10).
Three Quarter-Finals
The success underlined the highly competitive nature of Ng Wing Nam, a trait in her character that was seen throughout the year as she continually reached the latter stages of GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Under 21 Women’s Singles events.
In Qatar, Korea and Germany she progressed to the quarter-final round, losing in Qatar to compatriot Lee Ho Ching, in Korea to Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching and in Germany to Yui Hamamoto.
Beaten by Worthy Opponents
However, there were two comparative disappointments but against most worthy opposition.
In Austria she was beaten in round two by Britt Eerland of the Netherlands, in Suzhou at the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Harmony Open by Yui Hamamoto in the opening round.
The Swansong
Winner of the Girls’ Singles title in Tunisia on the ITTF Junior Circuit in 2010, on duty for Hong Kong at the most recent three World Championships; Ng Wing Nam will be the top seed in the Under 21 Women’s Singles event in Dubai.
Undoubtedly a very determined young lady will be in action; she will want to bid farewell on a high note. It will be her concluding tournament in the age group; in 2014 she will be too old.
Ng Wing Nam was born on Sunday 9th August 1992.
Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall
Photo by: Hu Xiaojun
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