by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Represented by Yun Arin, Lee Daeun and Lee Gayeon; Korea ‘D’ remained unbeaten to finish in first place in their group ahead of the no.4 seeds, the European combination of Croatia’s Andrea Pavlovic and Marta Vukelic who joined forces with Finland’s Annika Lundström.
A three-one defeat was the outcome in opposition to the Koreans but it was to prove the only defeat for the trio and thus second place and a passport to the main draw was secured.
Likewise, Japan ‘A’ who selected from Natsuki Chiba, Myabi Manabe, Nayu Satogawa and Reina Nakata concluded their group in first place without surrendering a single individual game. Second place and thus progress to the main draw finished in the hands of the Hong Kong ‘A’ Team trio of Chau Wing Sze, Lee Ka Yee and Karen Lee Hoi Man; the outfit starting the day as the no.5 seeds.
Two surprise first places; in the remaining groups, it was as status predicted.
China ‘A’, the top seeds with Qian Tianyi, Huang Fanzhen and Wang Tianyi in action duly finished in first position in their group, as did the Chinese Taipei ‘A’ Team combination of Chien Tung-Chuan, Su Pei-Ling and Yu Hsiu-Ting.
Respective second places went to Korea ‘A’ who chose from Jung Eunsong, Choi Jiin, Hong Sunsu and Yoo Siwoo, as well as to the combination of the team formed by Japan’s Haruna Ojio, Korea’s Choi Haeeun and Singapore’s Jassy Tan Li Lin.
Play in the Junior Girls’ Team event concludes on Thursday 10th May.
