by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Success for the leading names and there was also success for the host country; both Alvaro Robles, the no.5 seed and Carlos Machado, the no.16 seed, advanced safely through the opening rounds.
Likewise, in the Women’s Singles event, where just one round was completed, the leading names all enjoyed a successful day and Spanish hopes remained alive.
Japan’s Hina Hayata and Yui Hamamoto alongside Korea’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun, the top four names on duty progressed as did the host nation’s Maria Xiao, the no.12 seed.
No great upsets; but that was not the situation as play commenced in the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events. The opening round witnessed major casualties. The respective top seeds, Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi and Lam Siu Hang alongside the female counterparts Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun negotiated the opening hurdle; the avoided the carnage.
However, in the Men’s Doubles competition, India’s Amalraj Anthony and Sathiyan Gnanasekara, the no.2 seed, experienced an opening round defeat at the hands of Austria’s Alexander Chen and Simon Pfeffer (11-5, 5-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7). In the Women’s Doubles competition, Egypt’s Yousra Helmy and Dina Meshref were forced to withdraw from proceedings; Laura Gasnier and Oceane Guisnel of France, the no.4 seeds, lost to the Unkraine combination of Ganna Gaponovas and Ievgeniia Vasylieva (5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7).
Meanwhile for the host nation, Sara Ramirez and Maria Xiao alongside Anna Garcia and Zhang Xuan booked Women’s Doubles quarter-final places as in the Men’s Doubles competition did Carlos Machado and Alvaro Robles in addition to Carlos Franco and Miguel Vilchez.
