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Lee Xin Ni: Malaysian Table Tennis Fireball

If you met Lee Xin Ni at a mall, you’ll be forgiven for thinking this 13 year old is a pushover. Shy in demeanor, she obviously doesn’t speak much but when she does, it hits the ball (pun intended).

Although she is yet a household name, Xin Ni was in the sports spotlight when she won her third singles match over Poland at the 2019 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Cadet Challenge. Her win meant the Hopes Team, that she was part of, went into the Finals to meet Team Europe.

Lee Xin Ni (1st from Right) with her ITTF Teammates with their Silver medals. Photo courtesy of TTAM

Meanwhile, she won the bronze medal for mixed doubles with 16 year old partner Choong Javen at the 56th Malaysia Open Table Tennis Tournament held in December 2019.

So what makes Xin Ni tick?

She lives with the mottos, “Have a dream” and “Work Hard”.  And she does work hard indeed! Practicing six to seven days a week, her training begins at 5pm. She says she begins by stretching for about 15 minutes then move on to warming up with some table tennis with her sparring partner or senior players. After that is 1.5 hours of drill practice where her coaches will help her improve her technique. Next, she plays some matches before cooling down.

But the sacrifices are worth it. As of our interview, Xin Ni has visited no less than 12 countries and met friends from around the world, all thanks to table tennis She also enjoys being able to try the different cuisine each country offers.  

But her mind is not always on food though. Just like every professional athlete, she always prepares herself before going for a tournament.            Aside from setting a personal goal, she also will take the time to study her opponents.

Shy and sweet, Lee Xin Ni is a smash on the table tennis circuit

She takes competing seriously because she “enjoys the fighting process.”

Lee Xin Ni started playing table tennis at the age of six with the encouragement of her mother who used to play table tennis for her school. When asked if she considers table tennis a physical exercise, she replies, “Yes, because it can improve your speed, response, eyesight, judgment, and determination.”

So what’s next for this fireball? Hopefully we will see more of Lee Xin Ni in the near future and who knows, she may be competing in the Olympics in the near future!

Asia Fitness Today’s interview with Lee Xin Ni was held at the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia and was conducted by our intern, Dany Haiqal.

AFT Features, AFTNews, Sport

Lee Xin Ni shines at 2019 ITTF World Cadet Challenge

When I was 13, I had just entered high school and it was a new school too! I was trying to adjust to not only a new school but a higher level of education. To be honest, at this age I was just trying to go with the flow and trying to find a foot in society. But this is not the case for Malaysia’s Lee Xin Ni.

I thought I was awesome making new friends in a new school but Miss Lee is cooler than that. This 13-year-old has been busy playing table tennis. So busy that she recently won her third singles match win at the 2019 ITTF World Cadet Challenge in Wladyslawowo, Poland.

This Under 15 player is part of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Hopes team and her recent win meant that her team is going into the final round to meet team Europe.

A total eight teams from Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Oceania, Hopes, and host team Poland participated in 2019 ITTF World Cadet Challenge held from 26 – 28 October, 2019. Players for the tournament were selected from the Continental Junior Championships, World Rankings, or coaches’ decisions from each continent.

Lee Xin Ni has been selected by ITTF to be a member for the 2019 World Hopes Team since 14 August, 2019. ITTF Hopes Programme is a series of events at national, regional, continental and world level featuring education, training camps, competition, and talent identification.

Selected Hopes team players must demonstrate qualities of sportsmanship, such as training ethics, respect for other players, coaches and teamwork.

At the 2019 ITTF World Cadet Challenge, Xin Ni played in two key matches that helped ITTF Hopes team finished as group champion and thereafter in the semi-finals sealing ITTF Hopes team a Final outing.

In the 3rd group match against Latin America, Xin Ni playing as 3rd singles, beat Latin America player Divina Ding 3-0 (11-4,11-5,11-8). ITTF Hopes team went on to win 4-1 to be group champion. In the semi-finals playoff against Poland, Xin Ni again played 3rd singles and won 3-2 in an exciting, gruelling match, showing her steel despite under pressure to bring in the winning point. Xin Ni won her match 8-11, 12-10,11-8, 6-11,11-9 against  Polish player Ilona Sztwiertnia. ITTF Hopes team went on to win 3-1 against Poland.

Lee Xin Ni (1st from Right) with her ITTF Teammates with their Silver medals.

The rest of Hopes team members are Ser Li Qian (Singapore), Sophie Earley (Ireland) and Emily Tan (USA).

Hopes team, however, lost 0-3 to team Europe in the Finals. Xin Ni did not play in the Final.

Table Tennis Association Malaysia (TTAM) Vice President, Dr. Chin Kuen Liang said, “Although Xin Ni did not get to play in the Final match, she has shown exemplary and commendable attitude and progress. There’s always a tremendous pressure playing in the 3rd singles to bring in the winning point and Xin Ni did it, demonstrating much maturity and skills in the two important matches.”

TTAM’s reinvention exercise, he said which focuses on emulating a “high impact performance” model is showing results.

“We are pleased that TTAM’s plan to have smooth succession of players to become podium abled athletes of world standing, is moving in the right direction,” Dr. Chin added.