by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Success for Jeon Jihee means that an intriguing quarter-final duel now awaits; she meets China’s Chen Meng, the no.2 seed, the player she beat in the final of the Women’s Singles event some two months ago at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF Asian Championships in Wuxi.

In her second round duel, Chen Meng accounted for Hong Kong qualifier, Jiang Huajun in five games (11-13, 11-5, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5). Notably it was the third time on the international scene that Chen Meng had faced Jiang Huajun, it was the third time that she had won. Earlier on the ITTF World Tour they had met in China in 2015 and again in 2016.

Success as seeding and past results suggested; it was the same in the two remaining second round contests in the lower half of the Women’s Singles draw.

Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.4 seed, ended the hopes of Portuguese qualifier Fu Yu (11-7, 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7), Germany’s Han Ying, the no.6 seed, proved too secure in defence for Singapore’s Zeng Jian, the no.13 seed (11-6, 13-11, 10-12, 14-12, 11-7).

It was the second time that Cheng I-Ching and Fu Yu had met, the one previous occasion being early this year in Qatar when in the first round Cheng I-Ching had prevailed by a similar margin.

Meanwhile, for Han Ying and Zeng Jian it was their third encounter in a world ranking event. On the ITTF World Tour in 2015 they had met in Kuwait and the Czech Republic, on both occasions Han Ying had won in straight games.

Cheng I–Ching now meets Han Ying at the quarter-final stage; the matches to be played later in the day.