by Ian Marshall, Editor
Defeat for Pyon Sang Gyong but the previous day by remaining unbeaten she had assured a minimum second place and thus progress to the main draw; a surprise name to reserve a last 16 place, it was the same for the Czech Republic’s Zdena Blaskova. She finished next in line to Sun Yingsha.
In her concluding group contest, the no.17 seed, she upset the order of merit by overcoming Lucie Gauthier of France, the no.16 seed in a closely contested full distance seven games encounter (11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8).
A minor upset, earlier in the day there had been a much greater upset; Amy Wang of the United States, the no.9 seed, accounted for Serbia’s Sabina Surjan, the no.5 seed (15-13, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6) to maintain her unblemished record. The previous day she had beaten Korea Republic’s Choi Haeeun, the no.28 seed (11-7, 13-11, 11-6, 11-9), who duly responded on the second day of play by overcoming Slovakia’s Tatiana Kukulkova, the no.23 seed (11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5). Alas for Tatiana Kukulkova, her hopes of a main draw place have disappeared; on the opening day of action she was beaten by Sabina Surjan (8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9).
Problems for Sabina Surjan but not for the other leading names on duty on the morning and early afternoon of the second day of play; notably, Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee, the no.8 seed, beaten the previous day by Russia’s Mariia Tailakova, the no.24 seed (11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 11-3), recovered. She withstood a brave fightback from Thailand’s Jinnipa Sawettabut, the no.10 seed, eventually emerging successful in seven games (11-8, 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8). Success for Lee Ka Yee, significantly it was continued success for Mariia Tailakova. She beat Finland’s Annika Lundstrðm (12-10, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5).
Tense moments for Lee Ka Yee, for India’s Archana Girish Kamath, the no.6 seed and Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi, the no.7 seed, life was less fraught. Both maintained their unbeaten records. Archana Girish Kamath accounted for Egypt’s Marwa Alhodaby (11-7, 12-10, 11-5, 11-8): Bruna Takahashi overcame Poland’s Anna Wegrzyn, the no.11 seed (11-6, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6).
“I played well but it wasn’t my best performance, I wish I could have done better yesterday and today. Unfortunately this time I wasn’t able to qualify for the next round but I hope to do better in future. I have to do my best in my next match, it will be a good thing to win a match in the group and in the mixed team, I hope we have a chance to take a medal.” Marwa Alhodaby
The first stage of the Women’s Singles event concludes later in the day.
