Joyce Chan has continued her perfect run at the Hong Kong Open, adding the 2025 Mixed Doubles title to her triple crown in 2024. Joyce’s partner Steven Cheng adds the Mixed title to his 2024 Men’s Doubles title.
Both semi finals threw up some close results. In the first semi final, Joyce & Steven defeated Crystal Ho Suet Ying & Tze Ho Ho (Hugo) by 5 points.
“We started slow against Hugo and Crystal, need to come from behind in TT (10-11) and tennis (1-7) to take the match, while badminton is super close, so just happy to scrape through in the end,” said Steven Wai Kit Cheng.
The second semi final pitted top seeds Stephanie Chung & Patrick Moran from USA against Ho Ching Chan (Heidi) & Bridge Yan Kiu Lam. It was decided by a Gummiarm point.
“Steph and I were behind in tennis, Heidi and Bridge needed 19, [I] think they were up 17-13,” recalls Patrick Moran. “[The] Gummiarm was a wild point! They won toss, gave us the serve, Steph brushed it. Bridge was poaching like a mad man! I got lucky to hit his first volley with a lob after he hit it behind me!”
The point continued from there, with Heidi and Steph exchanging forehands from the baseline. Bridge tried to poach again, but put his second attempt into the net.
Unsure of what a Gummiarm is?
Check out this article from former top-10 player, Cedric Junillon
The Gummi-Arm: A sporting tiebreaker like no other
Mixed Doubles final finished on the squash court
The final was comparatively one sided with the locals defeating the Americans before tennis. Steven Cheng was relieved, saying that it was “good that we do not need to go to tennis court as we know anything can happen there on their major sport.”
Stephanie Chung & Crystal Ho Suet Ying in the box seat in Women’s Doubles
It’s a 3-pair box in the Women’s Doubles and two out of three matches have been completed.
- Joyce Chan & Elif Wong defeated Shiu Wai Pamela Lee before tennis
- Stephanie Chung & Crystal Ho Suet Ying defeated Joyce Chan & Elif Wong by 6 points
Steph & Crystal are the only undefeated pair, so they are likely to secure a gold medal when they face Pamela & Wan Yin at 12:00 PM.
There is a small chance that we will see the medals decided by a Gummiarm playoff, but the locals would need to upset the top seeds.
Seeds fall in Men’s Doubles
It was an eventful first round in the Men’s Doubles, with Bridge Yan Kiu Lam & Bryan Leung upsetting French pair, Jean Michot & Stephane Quiquempois. In the top half of the draw, we had yet another Gummiarm in the all Hong Kong clash. Tsz Cheong Fung & Tze Ho Ho defeated Chun Cheung & Chung Him Samuel Li.
The squash stars continued their form into the semi finals, defeating top seeds, Steven Cheng & Duncan Stahl by 6 points.
In the second semi final, American pair, Patrick Moran & Grant Sterman defeated Bridge & Bryan by 11 points.
Patrick was talking up his partner’s squash abilities. “I think he’s better than Hugo,” he said. “The whole Hong Kong Federation thinks Hugo will have the upper hand! We will find out tomorrow!”
The Men’s Doubles final will be at 8:15 AM.
Follow the draws on Tournament Software.
