Hong Kong Squash Open: Tomato Ho says mental struggles behind crushing loss to teammate Chan
- The top Hong Kong women’s player says she feels ‘confused and clueless’ after lacklustre performance in opening round
- She suffers repeat of her Asian Games semi-final reverse to compatriot Simmi Chan and admits she ‘lacked the urgency to win’
Hong Kong’s top women’s player Tomato Ho Tze-lok revealed a “psychological problem” was behind her crushing straight-games loss in the opening round of the Hong Kong Squash Open on Monday.
The highest-ranked local player on the tour lost 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 in 22 minutes to compatriot Simmi Chan Sin-yuk, and Ho said afterwards that she did not “feel like playing” despite being injury-free.
Ho had last month lost to Chan in the semi-finals of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, taking the bronze medal while Chan earned silver. But Ho said that, rather than a tactical or technical difficulty posed by Chan, her issue was mental.
“It’s a psychological problem, I wasn’t in the mood to play the moment I stepped through the door,” world No 26 Ho said. “I felt tired after just one or two points.
“I wanted to lift myself up, with so many spectators watching from the stands, but I just couldn’t do it.”
Held on the centre court at the Hong Kong Squash Centre, the 1pm fixture between the Hongkongers saw about 60 per cent of the 280 or so seats filled.
