|
Present in the colours of Hong Kong since making her debut in the Italian city of Courmayeur in 2002, Hong Kong’s Tie Yana was the player to cause the biggest upset at the quarter-final stage of the Women’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Australia Open in Tweed Heads on Saturday 6th June.
Not seeded, she beat Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, the top seed and the winner one week earlier in the Philippines in five games (3-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9) to reach the penultimate round of an ITTF World Tour Women’s Singles event for the 18th time in her career, in what is now no less than 42 quarter-final appearances.
A surprise win according to seeding and also when past results are taken into consideration; Tie Yana had only won one of their previous four meetings, the first undoubtedly being the most memorable of all.
Incredible Recovery
In their second round Women’s Singles encounter at the H.I.S. World Championships staged in Yokohama in 2009, Tie Yana won the first three games, she led 9-3 in the fourth; Kasumi Ishikawa, 16 years old at the time performed one of the most incredible recoveries ever witnessed.
She lost just one point in the fourth game, eventually securing victory in a full distance seven games contest (8-11, 8-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8).
Door Firmly Closed
Six years later in Tweed Heads, Tie Yana locked the door firmly, there was to be no Houdini like escape, as the 36 year old recorded her second career victory over Kasumi Ishikawa in World ranking events.
Following the defeat in Yokohama, Tie Yana beat Kasumi Ishikawa in first stage of proceedings at the Volkswagen 2011 Women’s World Cup but in 2012 in the Women’s Team event at the Asian Championships in Busan and more recently at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Czech Open, suffered defeats.
More Confident
“I have lost to Kasumi before, she is very strong; after I gave birth to my baby, I noticed there are changes in myself”, explained Tie Yana who is married to Tang Peng and has son.
“I am braver in matches, I do not feel nervous during the match, 80 per cent of the time I stay focused in the match”, said Tie Yana. “I think about my tactics rather than win or lose; winning this match has given me great deal of confidence.
Defeat for Colleague
Success for Tie Yana but it was defeat for her 18 year old compatriot Doo Hoi Kem, the no.4 seed, in opposition to Korea’s Jeon Jihee; a contest which at one stage was very much within the grasp of the Hong Kong teenager. She won the first three games before Jeon Jihee recovered to capture the next four (6-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5).
“I really did not think I could recover from losing the first three games, my hand was very tight at the crucial points”, explained Jeon Jihee. “She is a very strong player, she spins the ball well; I focused on just making sure I returned the on the table.”
Second Meeting
It was the second time in a World ranking event that the two had met; on the one previous occasion Doo Hoi Kem had won in seven games in their second round Women’s Singles contest at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open.
Victory for Jeon Jihee means it is her third success in what is now eight ITTF World Tour Women’s Singles quarter-finals; for Doo Hoi Kem,I t is her second defeat in three last eight visits.
Moon Hyunjung and Ai Fukuhara Progress
A place in the penultimate round for Tie Yana and Jeon Jihee, also places were secured by the latter’s colleague Moon Hyunjung and by Ai Fukuhara, who now shoulders Japanese hopes.
Moon Hyunjung beat fellow qualifier, Lee Eunhye (11-5, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10), Ai Fukuhara, the no.2 seed, ended the hopes of compatriot, Yuka Ishigaki, the no.6 seed (13-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 14-12).
First Time
Notably it was the first time that Ai Fukuhara had overcome the defensive skills of Yuka Ishigaki on the ITTF World Tour, in 2009 in Japan and 2011 in Korea she was beaten by her colleague in seven games in the second round of affairs.
A hard fought win, it meant for Ai Fukuhara that an ITTF World Tour Women’s Singles semi-final place was secured for the 15th time in 36 quarter-final appearances, for Yuka Ishigaki, it was her ninth penultimate round defeat in 15 last eight excursions.
Sixth Semi-Final Apearance
Meanwhile, it was the first time on the international scene that Moon Hyunjung and Lee Euhye had met; the win meant Moon Hyunjung secured an ITTF World Tour Women’s Singles semi-final place for the sixth time in eleven quarter-final appearances, for Lee Eunhye, it was her second qurter-final defeat, a round she has never progressed beyond.
Semi-Finals
At the semi-final stage, Tie Yana meets Jon Jihee; Moon Hyunjung opposes Ai Fukuhara.
Article by: ITTF - Ian Marsahll
Photo by: Isaac Purcell
|
)
