by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Pivotal to the Australian victory was the opening doubles contest, a five games success in favour of Andrea McDonnell and Melissa Tapper being the outcome (11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6).
The result paved the way for Melissa Tapper to complete matters and keep Australian medal hopes alive. She accounted for Umran Ertis in four games (11-6, 11-4, 6-11, 11-6).
Success for Brazil
A high note on which to end the day for Australia; it was the same for the host nation on what proved a successful evening for the southern hemisphere. Also in Women’s Team Class 6-10, Brazil beat Germany by two matches to nil.
Bruna Alexandre and Danielle Rauen overcame Juliane Wolf and Danielle Rauen in the opening math of the fixture (11-4, 11-3, 11-6), before Bruna Alexandre completed matters by overcoming Juliane Wolf (11-5, 11-6, 11-9).
Gold and bronze medallists succeed
Meanwhile, in the two remaining Women’s Team Class 6-10 quarter-final fixtures, it was success for the gold medallists and bronze medallist from London.
Gold medallists, China, with Lei Lina and Yang Qian in action, overcame the Croatian duo of Mirjana Lucic and Sandra Paovic by two matches to nil. Bronze medallists, Poland represented by Natalia Partyka, Karoline Pek and Katarzyna Marszal defeated the French duo of Anne Barneoud and Thu Kamkasomphu by two matches to one.
Backbone of the Polish success was Natalia Partyka; she joined forces with Karolina Pek to secure the doubles (11-2, 11-6, 11-7), before conluding matters by overcoming Anne Barneoud (11-2, 11-4, 11-4) after Katarzyna Marszal had experience defeat against Thu Kamkasomphu (11-7, 11-6, 11-8).
Semi-finals
Semi-finals in all events will be played on Thursday 15th September.