Hong Kong Open: defending champions Wong and Doo secure vital win over Japanese table tennis rivals
- The home favourites defeat Japanese mixed doubles Olympic hopes in Wan Chai
- Pair rank sixth in the world standings and can qualify for the Tokyo Games if they keep that ranking
Hong Kong’s Wong Chun-ting and Doo Hoi-kem got a major confidence boost in their Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification campaign following their victory over Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata of Japan at the Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Open on Thursday.
The home favourite mixed doubles pair, double World Championships bronze medallist winners in 2015 and 2017, were in firm control of their first round encounter as they won 3-1 (12-10, 11-5, 7-11, 11-2) in a mere 26 minutes at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai.
With mixed doubles being introduced to the Olympic programme for the first time in Tokyo next year, the world’s best players are all vying for the event which becomes the sport’s fifth Olympic programme on top of the team and singles (men’s and women’s) competitions.
The top five pairs upon completion of this year’s World Tour can book a place in Tokyo, along with the top four pairs at the year-end grand finals.
As things stand, with two Japanese pairs in the top six of the World Tour, Hong Kong’s pair will get a place in Tokyo.