by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

The players to suffer the greatest hardship were Austria’s Karoline Mischek and Belgium’s Margo Degraef, both players who started the day as the highest rated in their respective groups.

Margo Degraef finished in third place, the group winner being the Czech Republic’s Marketa Sevcikova who ended the day unbeaten. Poland’s Julia Slazak reserved second place.

Not the best of days for Margo Degraef, it was even worse for Karoline Mischek; she ended the day without a win to her name. First place in the group went to Norway’s Rebecca Carlsen but it was close. She beat Ukraine’s Veronika Hud in four straight games (11-5, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9) but in seven games lost to the Czech Republic’s Katerina Cechova (11-8, 3-11, 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9). However, in the opening match in the group, Veronika Hud had accounted for Katerina Cechova in six games (8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7).

Thus on games ratio it was first place for Rebecca Carlsen (7:4) followed by Katerina Cechova (6:7) and Veronika Hud (4:6).

Meanwhile, for Spain’s Zhang Xuan, the fifth highest listed on first phase duty, it was defeat but only one reverse and second place. Zhang Xuan lost to Slovakia’s Tatiana Kukulkova (7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6), Veronica Mosconi was beaten by Croatia’s Andrea Pavlovic. Both Tatiana Kukulkova and Andrea Pavlovic remained unbeaten to top their groups.

Meanwhile, amongst the other leading names in action, Russia’s Valeria Shcherbatykh and Anastasia Kolish secured first places in their respective groups.