by Ian Marshall, Editor
Choi Haeeun gave her team the perfect start by beating Goi Rui Xuan (11-6, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8), before in a contest between two very talented left handers, Cho Daeseong overcame Pang Yew En Koen (11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6). Matters concluded with the Korea Republic duo recording a straight games doubles win (11-7, 11-6, 11-6).
Success against the odds for Cho Daeseong and Choi Haeeun but in the counterpart contest in the group there was no upset. Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Miu Hirano, the top seeds, beat the combination formed by Argentina’s Martin Bentancor and Croatia’s Andrea Pavlovic, the no.18 seeds, by three matches to nil.
However, playing in front of a home crowd there was a degree of consolation for Martin Bentancor; he extracted the third game from Tomokazu Harimoto (12-10, 11-4, 7-11, 11-1). There is theory that if you can extract one game in defeat then you have the ability to beat your opponent; next time Martin Bentancor, next time!
A positive start for the top seeds as play commenced in the Mixed Team event, it was the same for Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju and Su Pei-Ling, the no.2 seeds, both smarting from defeats suffered in the individual events. Lin Yun-Ju, the Men’s Singles no.4 seed, finished in fourth place, the most agonising of all positions; in the Women’s Singles competition, Su Pei-Ling, the no.3 seed, departed in the group qualification stage. In their opening contest they recorded a three-nil win in opposition to the combination of Tunisia’s Nathael Hamdoun and Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee, the no.17 seeds.
Similarly, the formation of Sweden’s Truls Moregard and Serbia’s Sabina Surjan, the no.3 seeds, showed no charity; they secured a three-nil win in opposition to European colleagues, Lithuania’s Medardas Stankievicius and the Czech Republic’s Zdena Blaskova.
Minimal problems for Truls Moregard and Sabina Surjan; in the counterpart group contest life was very different; the partnership comprising Austria’s Maciej Kolodziejczyk and Poland’s Anna Wegrzyn, the no.13 seeds, experienced defeat at the hands of DPR Korea’s Kim Song Gun and Pyon Song Gyong, the no.32 seeds.
Victory by three matches to nil was the outcome in favour of the DPR Korea duo; Pyon Song Gong beat Anna Wegrzyn (11-2, 11-8, 11-4), before Kim Song Gun accounted for Maciej Kolodziejczyk (11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10); a doubles success concluded matters (11-7, 11-3, 12-10).
Play continues in the Mixed Team event throughout the day.
