by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
She emerged successful in four games (8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9).
“In the third game I was ahead 9-8 but then Miyu levelled at 9-all; my coach Kim Insoon called “Time Out”. She told me to serve long to the middle; the ball came back long and I was able to attack quickly and win the points. Before, I had been too nervous to serve long. During the match my receive of service improved; her top spin play is very strong. It’s the first time I have beaten her. We have played four times before and I have lost every time.” Shin Yubin.
Success for Shin Yubin was not as predicted by previous results but it was according to seeding. Shin Yubin occupied the no.6 seeded position, Miyu Nagasaki was the no.6 seed.
However, two highly rated seeded players did depart in the quest for a last eight place. Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the top seed, was beaten by China’s Wang Yidi, the no.10 seed (11-4, 11-5, 11-4); Japan’s Miyuu Kihara, the no.3 seed, experienced defeat at the hands of colleague, Hitomi Sato, the no.16 seed (12-10, 7-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-8).
Defeat for two highly rated names; for two more it was success. Japan’s Saki Shibata, the no.2 seed, beat compatriot Satsukin Odo, the no.13 seed (11-9, 11-4, 11-8), China’s Chen Ke, the no.4 seeds, ousted Honoka Hashimoto, the no.15 seed and also from Japan (11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 11-4).
Meanwhile, in the Under 21 Men’s Singles event the top four names all reserved last eight places. Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri, the top seed, overcame Korea’s Cho Daeseong, the no.9 seed (11-4, 11-6, 11-4); Frenchman, Joe Seyfried, the no.2 seed, defeated Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al-Abdulla, the no.14 seed (11-4, 11-3, 11-6).
Similarly, Korea’s Lim Jonghoon, the no.3 seed, accounted for the host country’s Mohammed Abdelwahhab, the no.11 seed (11-4, 11-6, 11-9); Hong Kong’s Ng Pak Nam, the no.4 seed, ended the hopes of Nawaf Al-Malki, the no.12 seed and also from Qatar (11-1, 11-7, 11-4).
Play in both the Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles events will be played to a conclusion on Wednesday 7th March.
