Bad day at the office: Doo Hoi-kem leads Hong Kong exodus from table tennis singles at Olympic Games
The 19-year-old lost 4-0 to China’s top seed Ding Ning in the last 16, while teammates Lee Ho-ching and Wong Chun-ting also crashed out in Rio de Janeiro
Hong Kong teen table tennis player Doo Hoi-kem broke down in tears after losing to China’s top seed Ding Ning in the last 16 at the Olympic Games – and on a bad day for Hong Kong in the singles as teammates Lee Ho-ching and Wong Chun-ting also crashed out.
“I’m really disappointed my Olympics [singles] is over,” said Doo after a rapid 4-0 (11:3, 11:5, 11:4, 11:4) defeat.
There was, though, hardly any shame in going out to the vastly more experienced world number two Ding, a silver medallist at London 2012 and a two-time world champion.
“She got into the games very fast. I couldn’t get used to her pace,” admitted 19-year-old Doo.
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“As a first-time Olympian…I realised that I still lacked some basic skills. I also lack the experience.
“I wasn’t nervous but I felt that I have lost control…I didn’t know what I wanted to do up there.
“I didn’t play this game well and I lost. I am putting my hopes in the team game.”
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Teammate Lee faced another tough encounter against a top mainlander, London gold medallist and 2013 world champion Li Xiaoxia, and was also soundly beaten 4-0 (11:5, 11:6, 11:4, 11:4) by the third seed.
And in the men’s competition, sixth seed Wong was upset after he came off the worse in an epic battle with Japan’s Koki Niwa, losing the last three games having been up 3-1 before eventually losing 4-3 (6:11, 11:6, 8:11, 5:11, 12:10, 11:4, 11:8).
