by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
In a competition where teams finishing in first and second places advanced to the quarter-finals, it was the same scenario for the two outfits immediately next in line.
Selecting from Wanwisa Aueawiriyayothin, Thanathnan Choosattayanond, Pakawan Karnthang and Nanapat Kola; Thailand ‘A’, the no.2 seeds, duly topped their group without surrendering a single individual match as did the no.3 seeds, the Chinese Taipei trio formed by Huang Yu-Jie, Jhuang Jia-Yu and Tsai Yun-En.
The combination formed by Sri Lanka’s Hasali Sanaya Buddhadasa, the Czech Republic’s Martina Novakova and Iran’s Elina Rahmi, alongside the Swedish trio of Moa Elmtoft, Rebecca Muskantor and Leah Tveit Muskantor finished in the respective second places.
First places for the top three seeds, it was the same for the fourth seeds but in a rather different circumstances. The Hong Kong ‘B’ Team comprising Chelsea Chan Shiu Lam, Karen Lee Hoi Man and Ng Wing Lam, endured testing times.
They beat the Thailand ‘B’ Team outfit formed by Acraporn Doungjan, Parnkanok Maughwan and Pahantita Pinyopsian by three matches to nil but in their second contest, they were stretched to the very limit by the Singapore ‘A’ Team formation of Jassy Tan Lin Jin, Ser Lin Qian and Zhou Jingyi.
Mainstay of the Hong Kong victory was Ng Wing Lam; she beat both Jassy Tan Lin Jin (11-5, 12-10, 11-7) and Zhou Jingyi (11-5, 11-9, 11-5) to set the stage for Karen Lee Hoi Man to be the heroine. In the concluding match of the fixture, she accounted for Jassy Tan Lin Jin (9-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-6).
Testing times for Hong Kong ‘B’; less so in the concluding fixture in the group; they overcame the Indian outfit of Lakshita, Narang, Anjali Rohilla and Gayatri Swaminthan by three matches to nil. Singapore ‘A’ duly finished in second place.
At the quarter-final stage, Hong Kong ‘A’ faces the combination of Hasali Sanaya Buddhadasa, Martina Novakova and Elina Rahmi; whilst Singapore ‘A’ opposes Chinese Taipei. In the opposite half of the draw Hong Kong ‘B’ confronts the team formed by Kuan E. Xian, Karen Lyne, Mok Hoi Ching and Lim Qi; Thailand ‘A’ faces Sweden.
Play in the Cadet Girls’ Team event concludes on Thursday 11th May.
