by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Just one seeded Men’s Doubles pair remains, just one Women´s Doubles qualifier is still standing.
Korea’s An Jaehyun and Cho Seungmin emerged successful in the one Men’s Doubles quarter-final contest that witnessed two seeded pairs in opposition; the no.8 seeds, they upset the order of merit by beating Argentina’s Horacio Cifuentes and Nicolas Galvano, the no.3 seeds. They secured victory in three straight games (11-5, 11-7, 11-8).
Awaiting at the semi-final stage is the Hong Kong partnership of Kwan Man Ho and Li Hon Ming; the accounted for Austria’s Thomas Grininger and David Serdaroglu in a similar impressive manner (11-9, 11-4, 11-9) to reserve their last four place.
Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw Korea is also in evidence. Cho Eonrae and Kim Minhyeok meet India’s Raj Mondal and Sourav Saha. In the round of the last eight pairs the Koreans accounted for Luxembourg’s Eric Glod and Luka Mladenovic (11-9, 12-10, 11-9); the India duo ended the hopes of the South American partnership formed by Colombia’s Camilo Giraldo and Chile’s Alfonso Olave (11-9, 11-7, 11-7).
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Doubles event, the qualifiers to progress were Japan’s Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata, they overcame the French partnership of Oceane Guisnel and Stéphanie Loueillette who likewise had also been required to compete in the preliminary competition. Imposingly they won in straight games (11-7, 11-6, 11-7).
They now meet Luxembourg’s Sarah de Nutte and Ni Xialian, the no.4 seeds, in the semi-finals, the quarter-final winners in opposition to Poland’s Katarzyna-Grzybowska-Franc and Natalia Partyka, the no.5 seeds (11-6, 11-8, 11-8).
Success for Japan in the lower half of the draw, in the opposite half there was also success for the Land of the Rising Sun. Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato, the top seeds, ended Spanish dreams; they defeated Galia Dvorak and Maria Xiao, the no.6 seed (11-7, 11-6, 11-6).
Awaiting in the penultimate round is the Hong Kong partnership formed by Ng Wing Nam and Minnie Soo Wai Yam; the no.3 seeds, they overcame colleagues and qualifiers, Mak Tze Wing and Zhu Chengzhu to keep their title hopes alive (11-3, 11-7, 5-11, 10-12, 11-7)
The semi-finals will be played later in the evening.
