by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Korea’s Kim Kyungah and Seo Hyowon, a partnership that competed in last week’s Seamaster 2017 Asian Championships in Wuxi and has only been together for about three weeks, beat Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Hsien-Tu and Lin Chia-Chih, the no.6 seeds (4-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-3).
Three matches required in the opening round; in the remaining contests it was success as status advised.
Japan’s Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.8 seeds and another very new partnership, accounted for the host nation duo of Choi Hyojoo and Lee Zion (11-3, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6). Similarly, Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Wen and Wang Yi-Ju, the no.7 seeds, ended the hopes of Jung Yumi and Lee Eunhye, also from Korea (11-6, 4-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-8).
Huang Yu-Wen and Wang Yi-Ju now meet colleagues Chen Szu-Yu and Cheng I-Ching, the no.2 seeds, in the quarter-finals, in the same half of the draw, Germany’s Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja, the no.4 seeds, oppose Singapore Lin Ye and Zhou Yihan, the no.5 seeds.
Meanwhile, in the opposite half, it is Korea’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun, the top seeds, versus Japan’s Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa; Kim Kyungah and Suh Hywon against Hina Hayata and Mima Ito, the no.3 seeds, in a second Korea versus Japan contest.
