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Doo Hoi-kem ends 854-day title famine as Hong Kong table tennis duos feast in Slovenia

  • Women’s doubles success at WTT Feeder Otocec for Doo and partner Zhu Chengzhu, as 3 of the city’s pairings reach semi-finals or better
  • Title is Olympic bronze medallist Doo’s first in over two years, a week after she went close in Croatia

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Doo Hoi-kem (front) and Zhu Chengzhu celebrate their success at the WTT Feeder event in Otocec. Photo: Hong Kong Table Tennis Association

Doo Hoi-kem ended a 28-month tournament-winning drought as she and fellow Hongkonger Zhu Chengzhu triumphed in the women’s doubles at the WTT Feeder Otocec in Slovenia late on Sunday.

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Three of Hong Kong’s pairs made it to the semi-finals of their respective draws at the World Table Tennis (WTT) event, but Doo and Zhu went on to finish the job, outplaying Indian duo Prapti Sen and Ayhika Mukherjee 11-2, 11-7, 11-8 in their final.

A week earlier, Olympic team bronze medallist Doo and partner Wong Chun-ting had reached the WTT Contender mixed doubles final in Zagreb, Croatia. That was their first final as a pair since winning the Hungarian Open in February 2020, but they were unable to win it.

By the time Doo next tasted success, on Sunday, she had gone 854 days without winning an event.

Hong Kong pair Doo Hoi-kem and Zhu Chengzhu receive their trophies after beating their Indian opponents in Slovenia. Photo: Hong Kong Table Tennis Association
Hong Kong pair Doo Hoi-kem and Zhu Chengzhu receive their trophies after beating their Indian opponents in Slovenia. Photo: Hong Kong Table Tennis Association

“This victory will undoubtedly boost Doo’s and Zhu’s confidence, especially given that they have only teamed up this year,” said Li Ching, the Hong Kong women’s coach.

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It was not only a maiden senior WTT tournament win for Zhu: the pair, ranked 75th in the world, had reached only one quarter-final in their previous four tournaments together.

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