Taipei Open: Hong Kong’s Yoyo Ng Tsz-yau to bid for two titles after mixed and women’s doubles heroics
- The 24-year-old endures hectic Saturday, reaching finals with partners Reginald Lee Chun-hei and Tsang Hiu-yan
- ‘I’m not thinking about the colours of the medals – I simply want to focus more on the game and improve my consistency,’ Ng says
Hong Kong’s Yoyo Ng Tsz-yau has reached the finals of both the mixed and women’s doubles at the Taipei Open, ensuring she will win her first Super 300 medals on Sunday.
The 24-year-old endured a hectic Saturday, competing in two semi-finals in the space of two and a half hours at the US$500,000 tournament at Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium.
First, Ng and her mixed doubles teammate Reginald Lee Chun-hei dug deep to battle past Malaysian duo Hoo Pang Ron and Toh Ee Wei in three sets – 21-17, 17-21, 21-12 – to book a place in the final.
“I used to play in a lower-tier international series previously, and the enormous arena and atmosphere [of the Super series] here are entirely different, and they are things I need to get accustomed to this week,” the 2014 Youth Olympics mixed doubles gold medallist Ng said.
“I’m not thinking about the colours of the medals – I simply want to focus more on the game and hopefully improve my consistency tomorrow.”
Ng began competing in mixed doubles with the 28-year-old Lee last November in the lower-tier international series, where they secured two first-place finished and one runners-up spot, which elevated them to play in the Super series starting this month.
After a two-hour break, Ng continued her winning streak in the women’s doubles with Hong Kong teammate Tsang Hiu-yan.
The duo defeated Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-Yun and Yu Chien-Hui 21-19, 21-15 in just 33 minutes.
On Sunday, Lee and Ng will play Thailand’s Ruttanapak Oupthong and Chasinee Korepap, who defeated Taiwan’s Chang Ko-Chi and Lee Chih-Chen in two sets, 21-15, 23-21.
Ng and Tsang will then compete against Yuna Kato and Rui Hirokami for the women’s doubles title.
The Japanese pair defeated Ng and Tsang 21-12, 21-13 last week at the Singapore Open, providing the Hong Kong duo with plenty of motivation – and a shot at exacting a measure of revenge.
Taiwan No 1 Chou Tien-Chen and Tai Tsu-Ying both progressed to the men’s and women’s singles finals, where they will play Japanese opponents in Kodai Naraoka and Saena Kawakami respectively.
