by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Yana Noskova, the no.12 seed who is no stranger to competing against the backspin art, having the likes of Polina Mikhailova and Maria Dolgikh in her national team, found the solid defence of Yuka Ishigaki too difficult to penetrate.
She was beaten in four straight games (11-9, 14-12, 16-14, 11-8).
Seeding upset
Success according to seeding; however as matters progressed in the quarter-finals, there was one result which attracted the attention.
Required to compete in the qualification group stage on the opening two days of action, Maki Shiomi proved that she is most adept against the backspin art. She overcame Honoka Hashimoto, the no.6 seed, without the loss of a single game to reserve her place in the last four (11-3, 11-7, 16-14, 11-6).
According to status
One arguable surprise; in the other two contests there were no surprises.
Misaki Morizono, the no.5 seed, accounted for Saki Shibati ,who like Maki Shiomi had been required to negotiate the qualification rounds (9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8); similarly, Miyu Maeda, the no.7 seed, overcame Kyoka Kato, the no.14 seed (11-5, 11-7, 4-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-4).
Semi-finals
At the semi-final stage, Misaki Morizono meets Maki Shiomi; Miyu Maeda opposes Yuka Ishigaki.
Russian duo progresses to final
Defeat for Russia in the Women’s Singles event but not in the Women’s Doubles, where there was notable success.
Maria Dolgikh and Polina Mikhailova, the top seeds, accounted for India’s Manika Batra and Mouma Das in the round of the last eight pairs (13-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6), prior to reserving their place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chia-Chih and Wang Yi-Ju, the no.5 seeds (11-8, 11-9, 11-9).
Title deciding contest
In the final they meet the Japanese pairing of Miyu Kato and Misaki Morizono; at the quarter-final stage they beat colleagues, Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato, the no.2 seeds (9-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7), prior to recording a semi-final success against Marina Matsuzawa and Mariko Takahashi, likewise from Japan (11-13, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10).
The finals
The semi-finals and final of the Women’s Singles event, in addition to the Women’s Doubles final will be played on Sunday 28th August, the day proceedings conclude in Panagyurishte.
