12 April 2013
　

According to History, Favourites Progress in Second Series

　

Matters progressed very much as past results predicted in the second series of matches in the Women’s event at the GAC GROUP Asian Cup in Hong Kong on the afternoon of Friday 12th April 2013.

The top seeds, China’s Liu Shiwen and Singapore’s Feng Tianwei continued their progress unabated, as did Wu Yang, also from China.

Equally, Korea’s Seok Hajung maintained her impressive form to end the second session of play with two matches played and two wins; barring hail, tempest or storm, final places await for the in-form quartet.

China’s Liu Shiwen, the no.1 seed, proved too consistent for the fast attacking skills of Korea’s Yang Haeun and duly posted a straight games success (12-10, 11-4, 13-11, 11-1); whilst in the same group Singapore’s Yu Mengyu recorded a straight games win over DPR Korea’s Ri Myong Sun (11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5).

The win recorded by Yu Mengyu is a World ranking predicted; she stands at no.25 as opposed to Ri Myong Sun who is at no.38.

However, the victory was more meritorious than the statistics suggest, Ri Myong Sun is a high class defensive player and Yu Mengyu has endured heartaches in the past against the defensive artiste. Having earlier in the day been overwhelmed by Li Shiwen, it was no mean performance from the Singaporean.

Success for Yu Mengyu and there was success for her compatriot, Feng Tianwei; the no.2 seed, she overcame the host association’s Jiang Huajun in four straight games (11-7, 11-9, 12-10, 14-12).

Defeat for Jiang Huajun and it was also defeat for her compatriot Lee Ho Ching; one week earlier at the ITTF World Tour Korean Air Korea Open, Lee Ho Ching had beaten Korea’s Seok Hajung by the minimal two point margin in the deciding seventh game.

In Hong Kong, Seok Hajung reaped revenge, she beat Lee Ho Ching in four straight games (14-12, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5).

Two defeats for Hong Kong; it was mixed fortunes for Japan.

Sayaka Hirano, having lost to Feng Tianwei in her opening contest, recovered to beat Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yi-Hua but for Kasumi Ishikawa, despite a spirited effort, it was a second reverse; beaten by Seok Hajung in her opening match, she suffered defeat on her second visit the table.

She was beaten by China’s Wu Yang (11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4).

Meanwhile, in the group involving West Asia, South Asia and South East Asia, Thailand’s Nanthana Komwong entered the fray and she entered in style; she beat India’s Shamini Kumaresan in five games (11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5).

Quarter-Final Qualification

Players finishing in first and second places in Group A, Group B and Group C, automatically qualify for the quarter-finals; players finishing in third place plus the winner of Group D (regional group) compete in a play-off match for the two remaining places.

Originally, as in previous years, the play-off matches concluded proceedings on the opening day of play.

However, in Hong Kong the play-off matches in both the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events will be held on the second day of action, Saturday 13th April, starting at 10.00am.

Following the conclusion of the play-off matches, the quarter-final draw will be made.

Women’s First Stage

Group A

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Yu Mengyu (SIN) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4

Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Ri Myong Sun (PRK) 14-12, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Yang Haeun (KOR) 12-10, 11-4, 13-11, 11-1

Yu Mengyu (SIN) bt Ri Myong Sun (PRK) 11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5

Group B

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 12-10

Jiang Huajun (HKG) bt Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Jiang Huajun (HKG) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10, 14-12

Sayaka Hirano (JPN) bt Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) 10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7, 11-4

Group C

Seok Hajung (KOR) bt Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8

Wu Yang (CHN) bt Lee Ho Ching (HKG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4

Wu Yang (CHN) bt Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2

Seok Hajung (KOR) bt Lee Ho Ching (HKG) 14-12, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5

Group D

Shamini Kumaresan (IND) by Aia Mohamed (QAT) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7

Nanthana Komwong (THA) bt Shamini Kumaresan (IND)11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5

Article by: Ian Marshall