Survival
However, on the evening of the opening day of play,
survival was at stake.
Both had suffered defeats on their first two visits to
table; for the winner it was third place in the group and a berth in
the qualification round, for the loser it was the end of interest.
Despite the efforts of the crowd, at all times giving
their visitor due acclaim, it was Kasumi Ishikawa who prevailed. A
score line of four games to two (11-8, 11-13, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8)
was the end result in a contest where seemingly ever point was an
extended close to the table counter top spin exchange.
Injury Hit Korean
Thus it was third place in the group for Kasumi
Ishikawa; first place went to China’s Wu Yang who completed the day
unbeaten, her concluding contest being in somewhat unfortunate
circumstances.
Throughout the day, Korea’s Seok Hajung had complained
of a shoulder injury; if you have a shoulder injury, Wu Yang, with her
solid backspin play, is arguably the opponent you do not wish to meet!
Already guaranteed a quarter-final place; after losing
opening game (11-2), Seok Hajung conceded the match; second place in
the group was the Korean’s lot.
Places Decided
First place in the group for Wu Yang and it was first
place in the group for her colleague, Liu Shiwen, the no.1 seed.
She concluded her group stage matches by defeating DPR
Korea’s Ri Myong Sun in five games (12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3).
Second place in the group went to Korea’s Yang Haeun as
a result of her victory over Singapore’s Yu Mengyu (13-11, 11-8, 9-11,
11-3, 11-2). The defeat experienced by Yu Mengyu meant she ended the
day in third place and thus advanced to the qualification play-off
round; for Liu Shiwen and Yang Haeun it was a quarter-final place duly
reserved.
Close Call for Feng Tianwei
Defeat for Yu Mengyu but for her colleague it was
success, Feng Tianwei concluded the day unbeaten and in first place in
the group but it was a hard fought final place.
In her concluding match, she was extended the full
seven games distance by Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yi-Hua, victory being
clinched by the very narrowest of margins (11-7, 5-11, 11-13, 6-11,
11-1, 11-7, 14-12).
Somewhat ironically, Huang Yi-Hua ended the day without
a win to her name!
Problem in Rallies
“Today I don’t think I played that well”, reflected
Feng Tianwei. “The problem was not with service and receive of
service; the problem has been in the rallies, I’ve not been able to
control the ball as I would have wished, not really reacting well.”
Nevertheless, three matches completed, not playing that
well but first place in the group; surely that’s the description of a
very good player.
Second Place in Group
Second place in the group went to Hong Kong’s Jiang
Huajun with Japan’s Sayaka Hirano in third spot; the final decision
being a result of Jiang Huajun’s six games victory over Sayaka Hirano
(13-15, 13-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5) in the contest that brought the
matches in the group to a finality.
Pole Position for Nanthana Komwong
Meanwhile, in the group involving players from West
Asia, South Asia and South East Asia, it was Thailand’s Nanthana
Komwong who ended the day at the top of the list.
She overcame Qatar’s Aia Mohamed to secure first place
(11-4, 11-1, 11-5, 11-5).
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
Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Ri Myong Sun (PRK) 12-10, 11-8,
9-11, 11-7, 11-3
Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Yu Mengyu (SIN) 13-11, 11-8, 9-11,
11-3, 11-2
Final
Positions: 1.
Liu Shiwen (CHN) 2. Yang Haeun (KOR) 3. Yu Mengyu (SIN) 4. Ri Myong
Sun (PRK)
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
Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) 11-7, 5-11,
11-13, 6-11, 11-1, 11-7, 14-12
Jiang Huajun (HKG) bt Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 13-15, 13-11,
7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5
Final
Positions: 1.
Feng Tianwei (SIN) 2. Jiang Huajun (HKG) 3. Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 4.
Huang Yi-Hua (TPE)
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
Wu Yang (CHN) bt Seok Hajung (KOR) 11-2, 11-0, 11-0,
11-0
Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) bt Lee Ho Ching (HKG) 11-8,
11-13, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8
Final
Positions: 1.
Wu Yang (CHN) 2. Seok Hajung (KOR) 3. Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 4. Lee Ho
Ching (HKG)
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
Nanthana Komwong (THA) bt Aia Mohamed (QAT) 11-4, 11-1,
11-5, 11-5
Final
Positions: 1.
Nanthana Komwong (THA) 2. Shamini Kumaresan (IND) 3. Aia Mohamed (QAT)
Article by:
Ian Marshall
JIANG Huajun (HKG)
|