by Ian Marshall, Editor
Impressively, Tijana Jokic beat both Australia’s Parleen Kaur (11-5, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8) and Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi (13-11, 11-8, 11-2, 10-12, 11-5), very much a player in form. Earlier in the day Zhou Jingyi had accounted for Russia’s Ekaterina Zironova (6-11, 11-3, 4-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6), the leading name in the group. Tijana Jokic now meets Ekaterina Zironova to determine first place in the group.
Good form from Tijana Jokic, it was the same from Andjela Menger. She accounted for New Zealand’s Vong Hui Ling (13-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-8), before causing somewhat of an upset. She beat Nadezhda Bogdanova of Belarus, the highest rated player in the group in a closely fought contest, decided by the very minimal two point margin (11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-13, 7-11, 12-10). Earlier, Nadezhda Bogdanova had accounted for Germany’s Anastasia Bondareva (6-11, 7-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6), the player Andjela Menger meets in the concluding group contest.
Disappointment for Belarus but in the guise of Marharyta Baltushite, there was the reverse scenario. She ended the day unbeaten having recorded wins against Korea Republic’s Wee Yeji (11-4, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 7-11, 5-11, 11-9) and Germany’s Laura Tiefenbrunner (11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 12-14, 14-12). In her concluding contest, Marharyta Baltushite meets Romania’s Tania Plaian, the highest rated player in the group. Significantly, as the day came to a close she experienced defeat at the hands of Wee Yeji (11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4).
Differing fortunes for Belarus, as play progressed in the group stage of the Girls’ Singles event, it was the same for Russia. In addition to Ekaterina Zironova, Anastasia Kolish, the leading name in her group, was beaten by China’s Guo Yuhan (12-10, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5), now favourite for first place, having earlier in the day beaten Slovakia’s Tatiana Kukulkova (11-7, 11-6, 11-2, 9-11, 11-7).
Conversely Kristina Kazantseva accounted for both Rachel Yang of the United States (10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6) and Brazil’s Livia Lima (11-6, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8); she now meets the leading name in the group, Germany’s Franziska Schreiner, to decide first place; notably in her concluding match of the day, Franziska Schreiner lost to Rachel Yang (11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9).
Notable performances and there were two more to attract the attention in the initial phase of the Girls’ Singles event. Slovakia’s Natalia Grigelova accounted for India’s Selena Selvakumar (11-3, 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 12-10) before overcoming Singapore’s Goi Rui Xuan, the highest rated player in the group (11-5, 11-5, 11-7, 7-11, 13-11). Similarly Korea Republic’s Ryu Hanna beat Chinese Taipei’s Wen Ruei-Ling (7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 12-10), prior to emulating Natalia Grigelova. She overcame Hong Kong’s Wong Chin Yau, the leading name (11-5, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5).
Matches in the group phase of the Girls’ Singles event conclude on Friday 7th December; to be followed by the opening round.
