by Ian Marshall, Editor
The only threats to their superiority came from Lee Ka Yee in the semi-final contest against Hong Kong ‘A’, the no.2 seeds and from Wen Ruei-Ling in the final when facing Chinese Taipei, the no.3 seeds.
Lee Ka Yee led Shi Xunyao by two games to nil before eventually experiencing defeat by the minimal two point margin (9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9), the success for the champions elect coming after Qian Tianyi had beaten Wong Chin Yau (11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7) and before Zhang Binyue ended matters by overcoming Chau Wing Sze (12-10, 11-5, 11-6).
Similarly, in the final, following success for Qian Tianyi against Tsai Yu-Chin (11-7, 11-4, 11-1) in the opening match of the contest and for Shi Xunyao in opposition to Su Pei-Ling (11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7); like Lee Ka Yee, Wen Ruei-Ling experienced defeat by the very minimal margin (11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 12-10, 12-10).
Convincing from the Chinese trio, for Su Pei-Ling, Tsai Yu-Chin and Wen Ruei-Ling, life was more testing. At the quarter-final stage, they were extended the full five match distance by the no.6 seeds, Japan’s Kaho Akae, Haruna Ojio and Fuwa Yumoto; the player to cause the problems being Haruna Ojio, she beat both Tsai Yu-Chin (11-8, 11-3, 11-2) and Su Pei-Ling (8-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-8).
A place in the semi-final booked, a three-nil win was posted against the no.7 seeds, the Singapore ‘B’ Team trio of Pearlyn Koh Kai Xin, Zhang Wanling and Tan En Hui; the team that had surprisingly finished in first place in their initial phase group ahead of Chau Wing Sze, Lee Ka Yee and Wong Chin Yau
Play concluded in the Junior Girls’ Team event, attention now focuses on the individual events.