by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

At the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Hungarian Open, in the third round of the Women’s Singles event, Li Jie had prevailed in six games (11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 12-14, 11-9, 11-4; in Chengdu, Miu Hirano won in four straight games (11-9, 11-4, 13-11, 11-8).

Progress in the past two years and it is undoubtedly the same for China’s Sun Yingsha; she made it nine wins in a row since starting her exploits in Tokyo some nine days earlier. She accounted for fellow qualifier, Japan’s Sakura Mori (11-4, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10).

Nine consecutive wins for Sun Yingsha; it was six in succession for Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.6 seed, she maintained her ascendancy over Germany’s Shan Xiaona (11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-5).

Success for Miu Hirano and for Kasumi Ishikawa; however, for their Japanese colleagues, in the second round of the Women’s Singles event, it was defeat and defeat at Chinese hands.

Mima Ito, the no.9 seed was beaten by Ding Ning, the top seed (11-5, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6), Hina Hayata, the no.13 seed, lost to Liu Shiwen, the no.2 seed (9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-2, 12-10); Hitomi Sato, the no.10 seed, experienced defeat at the hands of Chen Meng, the no.5 seed (11-8, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5).

Quarter-final places for four host nation players; there was one more. Zhu Yuling, the no.3 seed, ended the hopes of Korea’s Jeon Jihee, the no.14 seed (12-10, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6).

Thus with one exception, the quarter-final round of the Women’s Singles event comprises Chinese and Japanese players; the one exception is Feng Tianwei. In an all-Singaporean affair, the no.5 seed, she overcame Zeng Jian, the no.15 seed.

At the quarter-final stage Ding Ning meets Miu Hirano, Cheng Meng opposes Zhu Yuling; in the opposite half of the draw Feng Tianwei opposes Sun Yingsha, Kasumi Ishikawa meets Liu Shiwen.

The quarter-final and semi-final matches will be played on Saturday 24th June.