Shi Zhihao, head coach of the Chinese women's table tennis team, said his
players did not met any real challenges in their two straight-set wins over
Kuwait and Vietnam at the Doha Asian Games here on Wednesday.
"Today's matches saw no strong teams against us, and the real challenge will
come up tomorrow," said Shi after Guo Yue, Li Xiaoxia and Guo Yan trashed
Vietnam 3-0 in 46 minutes.
Before the afternoon's competitions of the women's team event, Shi's team had
beaten Kuwait 3-0 with fielding Wang Nan, Chen Qingand Li Xiaoxia.
Thursday morning, the Chinese women paddlers will meet their last and
toughest opponents in Group B, the team of Hong Kong, who finished runners-up at
the world team championships last May in Bremen, losing only to China in the
final.
Shi, however, did not want to take it too seriously against Hong Kong.
"I don't feel pressure against the Hong Kong team, since the top two
finishers from the group will both advance to the next phrase and what we chase
now is just to earn a better place into the quarterfinal draw," said the Asiad
"debutant", who was appointed to the post late last year.