by Ian Marshall, Editor
At the final hurdle, in a tense seven games contest, she beat Prithika Pavade of France, the no.8 seed, the opening game reminiscent of bygone days (20-18, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 4-11, 6-11, 11-7).
A hard fought final, earlier en route to the title decider, life had been little different. She had beaten Romania’s Tania Plaian, the no.2 seed (11-6, 13-11, 7-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-2), prior to ousting Isa Cok of France (11-6, 6-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4) to reserve her quarter-final place. Testing contests, it was the same in the next two rounds, recording wins in opposition to colleagues to reserve a final place.
She beat Sakura Yokoi, likewise a player who had been required to compete in the group stage in seven games (9-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7) to secure her place in the penultimate round where she ended the hopes of Kaho Akae, the no.12 seed (11-5, 11-6, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-7). Notably Kaho Akae had halted the progress of Italy’s Jamila Laurenti in round three, the no.3 seed (9-11, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8), prior to advancing to the quarter-finals courtesy of success in opposition to Ari Shirayama, also from Japan and required to qualify (10-12, 11-6, 7-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6).
Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw, in the later rounds, Prithika Pavade had beaten Italian qualifier Gaia Monfardini (12-14, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-3), before ousting the host nation’s Zdena Blaskova, the no.6 seed (11-7, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5), a player in form. One round earlier, at the quarter-final stage, Zdena Blaskova had ended the hopes of Poland’s top seeded Anna Wegrzyn (11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5).
Good form from Zdena Blaskova on her journey to the later rounds; it had been the same from Gaia Monfardini. She had reserved her last eight place by beating Singapore’s Liu Sijia (5-11, 11-3, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7), the second round winner in opposition to Russia’s Ekaterina Zironova, the no.4 seed (11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7).
Silver for Prithika Pavade in the junior girls’ singles event, in the junior girls’ doubles it was gold; partnering Camille Lutz, the duo secured the title at the final expense of Japan’s Ami Shirayama and Sakura Yokoi (11-9, 11-3, 11-5).
The junior girls’ singles event completed, attention now turns to the junior girls’ team and cadet girls’ team competitions.
