Tze wins all-HK final in Calgary, taking fifth tour title
Ho Tze-lok has clinched her fifth squash tour title, beating compatriot Chan Sin-yuk in Canada, as the Hong Kong squash team continued an overseas assignment that started in October when the Covid-19 pandemic limited opportunities at home.
The 26-year-old was fully stretched by her younger teammate in the Women’s Squash Week final in Calgary before coming through in five tough games, 14-16, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9, 11-3, to lift the trophy. It was the second five-game win in a row for the champion after pulling off a surprise victory over top seed and home favourite, Danielle Letourneau, the world No 20, in the previous round.
“I feel so delighted to overcome the top seed and then even getting this title,” said Ho, who last won a tournament in New Zealand in 2019. “In fact, I am a bit tired from these non-stop tournaments recently but I am very happy to see some improvement in my game.
“Our next tournament will be the CIB Black Ball Open in Cairo, which is a platinum event on the women’s world tour featuring all the top players. It’s going to be another difficult task.”
Ho will meet England’s Lucy Turmel, the world No 26, in Egypt in what is expected to be a close match. If Ho can survive that task, she is likely to face another tough encounter against Egypt’s 2020 winner, Hania El Hammamy, the No 3 seed.
After the retirement of star players Annie Au Wing-chi and Joey Chan Ho-ting in 2020, the Hong Kong women’s team have been in transition, with Ho, Liu Tsz-ling, Tong Tsz-wing, Lee Ka-yi and 20- year-old Chan Sin-yuk fighting for the top spot. With a career-high world ranking of 36, Ho is leading the battle. Liu is the next-best ranked player at 44, followed by Tong (50) and Lee (54).
Hong Kong will be the women’s defending champions at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September, but without Au and Joey Chan, the next generation of players must take up the baton.
“I always aim to achieve a higher world ranking so that I can be one of the team members at the Asian Games this year,” said Ho, who was also one of the four players at the 2018 Asian Games.
Au, a world top 10 player before her retirement, and Joey Chan shouldered most of the burden at the Asian Games in Jakarta four years ago and without their presence in Hangzhou, it will be a real test for the likes of Ho and her teammates.
I feel so delighted to overcome the top seed and then even getting this title
HO TZE-LOK