by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Ding Ning experienced a ligament injury to her right ankle when practising at the National Training Centre in Beijing; she has been advised by the doctor at the Chinese National Institute of Sports Medicine Hospital to rest for at least one week.
“I accidentally sprained my ankle during physical training. As I need time for treatment and recovery, it is not be possible to travel overseas and given the tight competition schedule, so unfortunately I have to give the Qatar Open a miss this time”, Ding Ning.
An ankle injury for Ding Ning, for Timo Boll it is a recurrence of a neck injury.
Both have been familiar faces in Qatar and both have enjoyed success.
Notably in 2009, Timo Boll won the Men’s Singles title beating China’s Ma Lin in the final.
Meanwhile, for Ding Ning, she has twice reached the Women’s Singles final; last year she was the runner up, in 2013 she was the winner, on both occasions her adversary in the final was compatriot, Liu Shiwen.
Furthermore, she has won the Women’s Doubles title three times. She won last year in partnership with Liu Shiwen as she did six years earlier 2010. Sandwiched in between in 2013 she succeeded in partnership with Li Xiaoxia.
