by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Success for Chen Xingtong, there was also success for colleague and fellow qualifier Wang Manyu who likewise, some three weeks earlier in Tokyo, had upset the pecking order by beating Kasumi Ishikawa in the opening round of proceedings.
She overcame Hitomi Sato, the no.8 seed and also from Japan, displaying a distinct liking for the defensive art as a straight games win was posted in style (11-2, 11-4, 11-4, 11-4).
Defeat for two seeded Japanese players but there was the reverse scenario; Maki Shiomo, 17 years old, the player who leads the ITTF World Junior Circuit Standings, beat Singapore’s Zeng Jian in seven games (2-11, 11-5, 13-11, 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7).
An impressive performance from the Japanese teenager, it was the same from Korea’s Lee Eunhye; required to compete in the qualification tournament, she ended the aspirations of the host nation. She accounted for the vastly experienced Jian Fang Lay in four games (11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 13-11, 11-9).
Meanwhile, in the top half of the draw in the opening round of the Women’s Singles event, with the exception of Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching who had to withdraw from proceedings injured and thus afforded Korea’s Choi Hyojoo a walk-over, in the remaining contests, it was success for the seeded players.
China’s Zhu Yuling, the top seed, beat Korea’s Kim Kyungah (11-3, 11-6, 11-2, 11-8); Japan’s Miyu Kato, the no.13 seed, overcame Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yi-Hua (11-6, 11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 11-9), whilst Singapore’s Yu Mengyu ended the hopes of Sakura Mori, like Miyu Kato from Japan (11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-3, 13-11).
