by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Marie Migot beat Luxembourg’s Sarah Meyer (11-5, 13-15, 11-8, 11-3) to maintain her unbeaten record as did Pauline Chasselin when confronting Uzbekistan’s Regina Kim (11-5, 11-5, 11-5).
Top spot secured without due alarm; for Nolwen Fort, the path to first place was rather different. In her concluding group phase contest, she was beaten in five games by Serbia’s Dragana Vignjevic, the leading name in the group (11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 13-11).
However, the previous day, Dragana Vignjevic had lost to Croatia’s Klara Cakol in four games (3-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-3); conversely Nolwen Fort had recorded a straight games win in opposition to the host nation player (11-7, 11-4, 11-9).
Thus on games ratio it was first place for Nolwen Fort (5:3) ahead of Dragana Vignjevic (4:5) and Klara Cakol (3-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-3).
First place without a surprise win against the highest rated player in the group; for Japan’s Yumeno Soma, Slovenia’s Ana Tofant and Amy Wang of the United States, they all remained unbeaten, topping their respective groups by beating the leading name.
Yumeno Soma accounted for Serbia’s Sabina Surjan (7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5), Ana Tofant overcame Hungary’s Leonie Hartbrich (11-7, 11-8, 11-7). Likewise, Amy Wang defeated Sweden’s Tilda Johansson (11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7).
In the Under 21 Women’s Singles competition, the players finishing in first places in each of the 12 groups plus four “Lucky Losers” drawn at random from the second placed players advance to the main draw.
