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Zhou 'needs more time if she's to get back in contention'

Former world number one Zhou Mi may need as much as another four months to regain the form that once made her the most formidable player on the circuit.

The former mainland ace lost in the opening round of the Singapore Open last week when representing Hong Kong in a major tournament for the first time since her arrival in the SAR in January.

'The Singapore Open was her first major tournament for almost two years. It is completely unrealistic to expect her to get back to her best overnight,' said Hong Kong coach Chan Chi-choi. 'In fact, she was effectively out of action for more than a year before her arrival in Hong Kong in January. All things considered, I am quite happy with her performance.

'I think she needs another four months before she can call herself fully fit for top-level competition.'

Zhou, who won a bronze medal at the Athens Olympic Games, won three straight matches in the Singapore Open qualifiers before losing to seeded player Pi Hongyan, another former mainlander now representing France, in the main draw.

One of the 28-year-old's victims in the qualifiers was Wang Lin, one of the most promising youngsters in China, in her second qualifying match.

While the two other top SAR women's singles players, Wang Chen and Yip Pui-yin, will compete in the next super series event, the Indonesia Open, this week, Zhou will remain in Hong Kong to prepare for the lower-tier New Zealand Open, which starts on May 15.

'I want to give her a break because it will be too much to play two super series events in a row,' Chan said.

At the Jakarta tournament, Wang, the eighth seed in the women's singles, will meet Judith Meulendijks of the Netherlands in the opening round, while Yip's opponent is German Juliane Schenk. Yip has lost in both their previous encounters.

'Yip has suffered from a busy private schedule since clinching a silver medal at the Doha Asian Games. But all these activities are now over and she can stay focused on playing again,' said Chan.

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