Tokyo Olympics: brave Doo Hoi-kem goes down swinging against superb Chen Meng in table tennis quarter-finals
- Doo out of the women’s singles after good start against world’s best Chen
- Chen fights back from 0-2 down to book spot in semi-finals
It was a battling performance from Doo, who went two games in front off the bat, but Chen showed why she has ruled women’s table tennis in recent years as she dug into her reliable reserves and dumped Doo out of the singles event 4-2.
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But it was an uncharacteristically slow start from the 27-year-old Chen, who is appearing at her first Olympics. She appeared tentative in losing the opening two games 6-11, 6-11 to a fired-up Doo.
In the third game, however, the tide slowly began to turn as Chen, with the support of her coach – the legendary Chinese paddler Ma Lin – ringing in her ears, began to assert herself on the 24-year-old Doo before taking the game 11-6.
“I can feel his support,” Chen said. “When I was 2-0 down, I also told myself not to think about anything. Just fight hard every point and win this match … I can hear his voice getting hoarse. I hope I can make my dream and his come through.”