Hong Kong: On September 9, 2024, the draw for the 2024 Hong Kong Open was updated, revealing that three Chinese players had withdrawn from the tournament. The withdrawals include two key men’s singles players, World No. 1 Shi Yuqi and World No. 5 Li Shifeng, as well as World No. 6 women’s singles player Wang Zhiyi, who had reached the finals of the Korea Open but withdrew due to injury.
Shi’s withdrawal is believed to be due to his recent performances, having been eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics, the semifinals at the Japan Open, and the quarterfinals again at the Korea Open. And he probably needs time to rest and recover.
In addition, China’s Asian Games champion Li Shifeng, has also withdrawn after falling short at the quarterfinals of the 2024 Korea Open.
As for Chinese women’s singles player Wang Zhiyi, she reached the finals of the 2024 Korea Open but withdrew due to injury before the final match. Her injury has not yet fully healed, prompting her to withdraw from the Hong Kong Open.
As a result, the Chinese team still has 15 entries in the Hong Kong Open, including one in women’s singles, three in men’s singles, three in women’s doubles, four in men’s doubles, and four in mixed doubles. China will continue experimenting with new pairings in the doubles events. The updated entry list is as follows:
Men’s Singles: Lu Guangzu, Weng Hongyang, Lei Lanxi
Women’s Singles: Han Yue
Men’s Doubles: Chen Boyang/Guo Ruohan, Xie Haonan/Zeng Weihan, Huang Di/Zhou Haodong, Chen Xujun/Liu Yi
Women’s Doubles: Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning, Li Yijing/Luo Xumin, Li Wenmei/Zhang Shuxian
Mixed Doubles: Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping, Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin, Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi, Guo Xinwa/Chen Fanghui
The Hong Kong Open returned last year after a four-year hiatus due to COVID-19. However, during the first round of the 2023 Hong Kong Open, star players such as Viktor Axelsen, Tai Tzu-Ying, Loh Kean Yew, Chou Tien-Chen, and Nozomi Okuhara were all eliminated, with many players complaining that the court was “too slippery.” Thai player Pornpawee Chochuwong shared a video on Instagram of her slipping during her Round of 16 match. Leading 4-1 in the second game after losing the first, she slipped in the center of the court and, after falling, was unable to get up for some time, eventually withdrawing due to injury.
Pornpawee Chochuwong wrote in her post: “At the most recent tournament (2023 Hong Kong Open), I slipped and injured myself (ankle sprain) due to the slippery court conditions. What do you all think about the court?” The 25-year-old, who once ranked as high as World No. 8, received a response from Viktor Axelsen, who commented: “So bad,” with an emoji of ice skates and an angry face, suggesting he agreed with her, likening the court to an ice rink.
The 2024 Hong Kong Open, a Super 500 event, will be held from September 10 to 15.
