THE Hong Kong women's table tennis team have been given a dream draw towards a possible gold medal playoff with China at the Asian Games in Hiroshima. The territory's Chai Po-wa, Chan Tan-lui, Cheng To and Chan Suk-yuen have been placed in Group B with South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Vietnam with high hopes of winning the pool and avoiding China in the semi-finals. South Korea pose the biggest danger, but the Hong Kong team are confident of winning all their matches to advance to the last four and a possible semi-final encounter against Japan. Women's coach Cheung Sau-ying said: 'It is a very favourable draw for us. Japan should finish second in the other group and if we can meet them in the semi-finals, we have a great chance of reaching the final. 'I know we have the quality to beat Korea in the pool matches.' Hong Kong open their team event campaign this morning against Vietnam followed by an afternoon match against Taiwan at the Asakita Ward Sports Centre. The team competition consists of four singles and one doubles match with the first side to triumph in three rubbers winning the tie. The territory won a women's team bronze medal at the Beijing Games four years ago. Hong Kong also have high hopes in the women's singles and doubles competition. Chai has been seeded third in the singles event behind China's Deng Yaping and Qiao Hong. Chai and Chan Tan-lui team up for the women's doubles competition and are seeded to meet Deng and Qiao in the semi-finals. In the men's singles, Hong Kong's Chan Chi-ming has a first round match against Vietnam's Vu Manh Cuong, while Chan Kong-wah meets Bhutan's Ugyen Tshering.
