by Ian Marshall, Editor

Romania, the top seeds, represented by Ioana Singeorzan and Elena Zaharia needed the full five matches to beat the Japanese combination of Miwa Harimoto and Yura Shinohara; the player to cause the European outfit being 10 year old Miwa Harimoto, the younger sister of Tomokazu Harimoto.

She beat Ioana Singeorzan (11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9), before partnering Yura Shinohara to doubles success (15-13, 12-10, 11-9). Mainstay of the Romanian victory was Elena Zaharia; she beat both Yura Shinohara (10-12, 11-2, 11-4, 11-5) and Miwa Harimoto (11-3, 11-6, 11-7), the wins setting the stage for Ioana Singeorzan to complete the task. In the vital concluding match of the fixture, she accounted for Yura Shinohara (11-7, 11-4, 12-10).

Similarly for Wales, the no.5 seeds, represented by Anna Hursey and Lara Whitton, endured a testing encounter against the Portuguese combination of Innes Gonzalves and Innes Matos. A 3-2 Welsh win was the order of the day with Anna Hursey the star of the show. She beat both Innes Matos (11-4, 11-6, 11-8) and Innes Gonzalves (11-7, 11-6, 11-8) whilst in the third match of the fixture partnering Lara Whitton to doubles success (4-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-4, 11-7).

Close calls for Romania and Wales, it was the same for the Russian duo of Vlada Voronina and Alina Zavarykina, the no.6 seeds; they were extended the full five match distance by the French combination of Charlotte Lutz and Lucie Mobarek.

Backbone of the Russian success was Alina Zavarykina; she accounted for both Lucie Mobarek (11-3, 11-7, 11-9) and Charlotte Lutz (8-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-7). The wins set the scene for Vlada Voronina to bring matters to a close. She succeeded but there were nervous moments, she lost the opening two games against Lucie Mobarek before emerging successful (4-11, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-6).

Play in the cadet girls’ team event concludes on Saturday 16th February.