by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Partnering Mousumi Paul; a full distance reverse in the first round of the Women’s Doubles event, by the very narrowest of margins, was experienced when facing Chinese Taipei’s Lin Po-Hsuan and Wang Yi-Ju (11-4, 12-14, 11-2, 10-12, 12-10).

Later in the day Krittwika Roy suffered defeat in a contest that witnessed one of the closest deciding games ever known in the history of the ITTF World Tour. She was beaten in seven games by Hong Kong’s Jiang Huajun (11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 13-11, 8-11, 8-11, 19-17).

Krittwika Roy had been required to compete in the qualifying tournament; she had finished in third and last place in her group, Jiang Huajun was the no.5 seed.

Moreover, Jiang Huajun is the owner of four ITTF World Tour Women’s Singles titles, whilst on no less than ten editions; she has been listed at no.7 on the Women’s World Rankings. The career high for Krittwika Roy is no.264 in April 2014. There is chasm between the two players.

Almost an upset but there were two surprises as play in the first round of the Women’s Singles event commenced.

In all-Indian duels, Mousumi Paul beat Manika Batra, the no.10 seed (11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8); Sutirtha Mukherjee accounted for Ankita Das, the no.16 seed (11-5, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9).

Two upsets but amongst the more prominent names on first day Women’s Singles duty it was success. In addition to Jiang Huajun, Portugal’s Shao Jieni, the no.7 seed, accounted for the host nation’s Selena Selvakumar (11-5, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5); Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Nam, the no.8 seed, ended the hopes of Priyadarshi Das, like Selena Selvakumar from India (13-11, 11-13, 11-3, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7).

Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching, like Ng Wing Nam from Hong Kong, alongside Hungary’s Georgina Pota and Sweden’s Matilda Ekholm, the respective top four seeds, enter proceedings in round two.