by Ian Marshall, Editor

New to the international scene, no current world ranking, an all Chinese Cadet Girls’ Singles final witnessed success for Sui Xiaoran in opposition to Wang Guining (11-8, 11-8, 11-5); the win being followed by a Cadet Girls’ Doubles success in which Shi Xiaoran added a second title to her collection, by partnering colleague Zhang Yulei to gold.

At the final hurdle the duo overcame Thailand’s Wamwisa Aueawiriyayothin and Phantita Pinyopsian but they were tested; they needed the full five games to secure victory, only emerging successful by the minimal two point margin in the deciding game (5-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10).

Testing times, likewise in the latter stages of the Cadet Girls’ Singles event for both Sui Xiaoran and Wang Guining, there had been difficult hurdles to overcome.

Sui Xiaoran had to recover from a two games to nil deficit in her quarter-final encounter against India’s Munmun Kundu, the no.3 seed (6-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-2), prior to booking her place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to the latter’s colleague Nithya Mani, the no.5 seed. She emerged successful in a similarly hard fought contest that went the full distance (8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4).

Tense contests, it was not too dissimilar for Wang Guining; in the round of the last eight she resisted a brave recovery from Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Jie, the no.2 seed, before eventually succeeding in a quite dramatic fifth game (11-5, 12-10, 9-11, 9-11, 15-13).

A place in the penultimate round booked, Wang Guining in a marginally less exacting engagement, accounted for India’s Swastika Ghosh in four games (14-12, 11-4, 8-11, 11-5).

Disappointments for India but in the Hopes Girls’ Singles event there was success; Suhani Saini beat Foteini Melete of Cyprus in four games to seal the title.

The individual events completed; attention now turns to the team competitions. Play concludes on Sunday 29th July.