Welcome to the preview of the second World Tour event of the year. This time we are going to Hong Kong!
The tournament will be hosted by Craigengower Cricket Club, the same venue that hosted the 2024 Hong Kong Open Challenger. This year, the tournament has been upgraded to IWT status and it was sold out well before close of entries!
As usual, Hong Kong Racketlon Association is passionate about providing a great experience for the players.
Aside from the tournament, they have:
- Press conference on 6/2 Thu 6pm local time at Craigengower Cricket Club
- Players Dinner on 8/2 Sat 7pm local time at club bar (plus karaoke!)
- Celebration Party on 9/2 Sun 5pm local time
Now let’s have a look at the elite draws!
Kevin Ho Ching Ng has withdrawn
Kevin is the Defending Champion for Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. He was also listed as the number 1 seed in all three categories, so his withdrawal has a large impact on the draws.
Kevin, we hope that your injury is not too serious and that you can return to playing racketlon sooner, rather than later.
Men’s Doubles
Tournament Director Steven Wai Kit Cheng will now be teaming up with Duncan Stahl. Despite having never played together, they will be seeded first. In Steven and Duncan’s half of the draw are all Hong Kong pairs.
Second seeds will be Current Men’s B Doubles World Champions, Jean Michot & Stephane Quiquempois. In the bottom half of the draw are a Swiss pair, another Hong Kong pair and an American pair.
Women’s Doubles
Hong Kong pairing Elif Wong and Tsz Yan Joyce Chan are back to try and defend their title. Their first match will be against another Hong Kong pair, Shiu Wai Pamela Lee & Wan Yin Lui, who finished 4th out of 8 pairs in the 2024 edition.
Completing the 3-pair box are top seeds, Stephanie Chung from the USA and local Crystal Ho Suet Ying. Stephanie & Crystal played against each other in last year’s semi final. Let’s see how they go this year as team-mates!
Mixed Doubles
It’s straight to the semi finals for the 4 pairs in the Mixed Doubles!
Top seeds from the USA are Stephanie Chung & Patrick Moran. They have played Mixed Doubles together in 5 World Tour events, but are yet to reach a final. Could this be their time?
Steven Wai Kit Cheng & Tsz Yan Joyce Chan are second seeds. Unlike Steph & Patrick, the Hong Kong duo do have an elite World Tour title to their name: the 2023 Thailand Open.
Women’s Singles: All three medallists from 2024 are returning
Tournament director, Steven Wai Kit Cheng has predicted that Joyce will defend her title. He did, however, note that “her biggest challenge will be Stephanie Chung from the USA.”
Trying to stop last year’s finalists are:
- Wan Yin Lui, 2023 Women’s C Grade World Champion who also won bronze in this event last year
- Crystal Ho Suet Ying, Eurogames LGBTIQ+ Female Identified B Grade Champion
16 players in Men’s Singles draw
Prior to Kevin’s withdrawal, FIR contacted Tournament Director Steven Wai Kit Cheng for his thoughts about the draws.
“Kevin will face tough challenges from FIR president Duncan Stahl from Great Britain and Léon Mamié from Switzerland, both are just behind him in the world rankings, not to say last year finalists Bryan Leung will also be looking for revenge. While Team USA, led by Captain America Patrick Moran will also be looking to make their mark in the tournament. Tight matches are guaranteed and I’m looking forward to some Gummiarms too!”
5th seed Patrick Moran moves into Kevin’s space at the top of the draw and will be relieved that he is no longer facing Duncan Stahl in the opening round. Instead Duncan will face local alternate Chun Cheung.
Another late change is that Vishal Jatia from India will replace Jonathan Gill from the USA.
“All the good HK men’s players are in the top half!”
This was Kevin Ho Ching Ng’s comment when he saw the draw.
There are 5 Hong Kong players in the top half, including Bryan Leung. Plus Japan’s number 1 player, Hirona Sudo. Patrick Moran and 4th seed Stephane Quiquempois from France will need to be at their best to progress in the draw.
In the bottom half is 3rd seed Léon Mamié and 2nd seed Duncan Stahl.
Trying to upset the Europeans are 2 Americans, 1 Indian and 3 Hong Kong players.
Keep an eye out for Tze Ho Ho (Hugo). He played squash for Hong Kong at junior level, but maybe isn’t even the best squash player in his family. His sister is Tomato Ho, currently ranked 25 in the world for squash. Speaking to Tomato about racketlon at the Australian Squash Open last year, she described her brother’s table tennis as “terrible”! A lot can change within 12 months for a racketlon player – let’s see if Hugo has been able to improve his table tennis.
Follow the draws live on Tournament Software.
