Hong Kong successfully defended their girls' team title at the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment Asian Junior Championships yesterday despite the absence of number one player Annie Au Wing-chi.
Led by Joey Chan Ho-ling, runner-up in the individual event, the SAR defeated arch-rivals Malaysia 2-0 in the final at Hong Kong Squash Centre.
Chan beat Malaysian number one Low Wee Wern 7-9, 9-4, 9-2, 9-2 in the opening match and Leung Shin-nga completed the job with a 9-3, 9-0, 7-9, 9-6 win over Low Wee Nee, younger sister of Wee Wern.
Hong Kong coach Tony Choi Yuk-kwan praised the performance of Chan, who also led the SAR team in the semi-final when they beat Japan 2-1 after Au, the newly crowned individual champion, sustained a back injury and pulled out of the event.
'She [Chan] rose to the occasion when given the responsibility in the last two matches,' said Choi. 'She played very well throughout the tournament and it was a happy ending for her as this was her last major junior competition.'
Chan, who will turn 19 in May, said she was happy to bow out of junior play on a high note. 'The team title has left me with a great memory of my junior career,' she said.