Hong Kong's top ladies singles player Lin Ling suffered a shock exit in the first round of the China Open in Fuzhou. The world number five, who reached the semi-finals of last week's Korea Open, was beaten by little-known North Korean Kim Mi-yong 8-11, 10-12, 3-11, 15-13, 11-9, 11-8 in a close-fought encounter.
Hong Kong's third-ranked woman, world number 14 Lau Siu-Fei, also went out to the North Koreans, who are playing in their first Pro Tour event of the year. Lau was beaten by qualifier Jang Hyon-ae, who was playing in her first major ITTF event. The 22-year-old Hong Kong girl was beaten 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 4-11, 9-11, 11-7.
There was another shock in the men's draw where Chinese youngster Chen Qi, the surprise Korea Open finalist, ousted the world number one Timo Boll. The 19-year-old who plays for Jiangsu province, beat the German 3-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7.
Chen is the second Chinese youngster to claim Boll's scalp following Qiu Yuke's first-round win at the World Championships. 'Boll is still the best in the world,' said China's head coach Liu Guooliang. 'The surprise victories of Chen and Qiu do not change that. However they are young and brave and beating Boll means a lot.'
Chen, who together with Guangdong's Ma Lin, won the Korean Open against Hong Kong's Asian champions Li Ching and Ko Lai-chak will replay that final in the quarter-finals in Fuzhou today. Li and Ko, who were beaten 4-2 in Jeju on Sunday, earned their chance for revenge against Chen and Ma by beating the North Korean pairing of Pak Won-chol and Kim Song-chol 11-13, 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 in their opening encounter. The Chinese pair were comfortable winners in straight sets over Poland's Bartosz Such and Ioannis Vlotinos.
