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Incredible Consistency
Consistency, a quite awesome level of consistency combined with
outstanding balance, the ability to recover and anticipate the next
move, saw Liu Shiwen post wins over Hong Kong’s Jiang Huajun (11-8,
11-6, 12-10, 13-11) and Korea’s Seok Hajung (11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8,
11-3).
Equally consistent but in a totally different manner, her defensive
skills exquisite, Wu Yang ousted Korea’s Yang Haeun (11-8, 11-8, 3-11,
11-6, 11-5) and one round later Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa (11-7, 11-7,
11-6, 11-6) to reserve her place at the top table.
Better and Better
Simply Liu Shiwen extols the same abilities as she did one year ago,
two years ago, three years ago; it’s just she does them better and
better and better.
The number of unforced errors is minimalized month by month, day by
day.
Close to the table there is nobody more secure when a rally develops.
Added String to the Bow
However, for Wu Yang there is an increasing added string the bow to
play the well-tuned violin.
Increasingly she is more and more effective with her forehand top
spin. She is comfortable trading forehand top spin counter attacks and
she is equally adroit at pouncing on any conceived weak attack.
Most Noticeable
Two areas of improvement but the most significant is the growing
confidence to serve and then follow with a severe attack; not as
severe but it is in the guise of her illustrious male predecessors,
Chen Xinhua and Ding Song.
“Today’s men’s technique is tomorrow’s women’s technique”, is a
favoured Chinese phrase. Also they say “Tomorrow never comes”. It
arrived today.
In Form Adversaries
Furthermore, at the semi-final stage both Liu Shiwen and Wu Yang
ousted in-form adversaries.
At the quarter-final stage, Seok Hajung overcame Singapore’s Yu Mengyu
(11-6, 11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 11-8), before Kasumi Ishikawa defeated
Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, the no.2 seed (7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5,
11-6).
Fifth Place for Hong Kong
No place in the last four for a player from the host association but
there was a degree of consolation; Jiang Huajun accounted for Yu
Mengyu (9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9) and Feng Tianwei (11-7,
5-11, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8).
Seventh place went to Yang Haeun who lost to Feng Tianwei (5-11,
10-12, 5-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-5, 12-10) but then beat Yu Mengyu (7-11,
15-13, 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5).
Yu Mengyu finished in eighth place.
Concluding Day
Two matches remain in Women’s event to be contested on Sunday 14th
April, Kasumi Ishikawa and Seok Hajung contest third and fourth place,
Liu Shiwen and Wu Yang meet in the final.
Results
Women: Quarter-Finals
Liu Shiwen (CHN) v Jiang Huajun (HKG) 11-8, 11-6, 12-10, 13-11
Seok Hajung (KOR) v Yu Mengyu (SIN) 11-6, 11-6, 11-6, 4-11, 11-8
Wu Yang (CHN) v Yang Haeun (KOR) 11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-5
Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) v Feng Tianwei (SIN) 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5,
11-6
Women: Semi-Finals
Liu Shiwen (CHN) v Seok Hajung (KOR) 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3)
Wu Yang (CHN) v Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6)
Women: Positions 5-8
Jiang Huajun (CHN) v Yu Mengyu (SIN) 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5,
11-9
Feng Tianwei (SIN) v Yang Haeun (SIN) 5-11, 10-12, 5-11, 11-6, 12-10,
11-5, 12-10
Women: Positions 5-6
Jiang Huajun (HKG) v Feng Tianwei (SIN) 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8,
11-6, 11-8
Women: Positions 7-8
Yang Haeun (KOR) v Yu Mengyu (SIN) 7-11, 15-13, 11-9, 9-11, 8-11,
11-6, 11-5)
Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall
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Wu Yang
(CHN)
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