by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Three times winners on the ITTF World Tour, the host nation’s Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato, the top seeds, employed their defensive attributes to good effect to beat Chinese Taipei qualifiers Cheng Hsien-Tu and Lin Chia-Chi in three straight games (11-9, 11-9, 11-8).

However, for Korea’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun, the no.2 seeds, it was a much more exacting affair; they needed the full five games to overcome the Romanian combination of Elizabeta Samara and Bernadette Szocs, the no.7 seeds (9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5).

Wins as status advised and it was very much the same scenario in the two remaining last eight duels, with the partnership formed by Chen Szu-Yu and Cheng I-Ching, the no.4 seeds and like Cheng Hsien-Tu and Lin Chia-Chi from Chinese Taipei.

They overcame the German partnership of Han Ying and Shan Xiaona, the no.3 seeds, in straight games (11-6, 11-7, 11-6), each player able to adapt to the defensive skills of Han Ying and the pen-hold attacking play of Shan Xiaona.

Meanwhile, in the one remaining quarter-final duel; the all Chinese contest witnessed success for Chen Xingtong and Sun Yingsha. They overcame fellow qualifiers, Chen Ke and Wang Manyu in four games (11-4, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7).

At the semi-final stage Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato meet Chen Xingtong and Sun Yingsha; Chen Szu-Yu and Cheng I-Ching oppose Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun.

The semi-finals are scheduled for 11.00am (local time) on Saturday 17th June.