by Ian Marshall, Editor
The only blemish to the copybook came at the semi-final stage of the junior girls’ team competition when, in the opening encounter of the fixture against Chinese Taipei, Zhang Xiaotong experienced defeat at the hands of Yu Hsiu-Ting (13-11, 11-9, 7-11, 5-11, 11-7).
Immediately China levelled but endured some tense moments as Shi Xunyao needed the full five games to beat Hsu Yi-Chen (11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5). A crucial win, the momentum in favour of the champions elect, Yuan Yuan accounted for Chang Ju-Chia (11-6, 11-7, 11-7), before Shi Xunyao returned to the action. She overcame Yu Hsiu-Ting (11-5, 11-8, 11-5) to end matters.
A place in the final booked, a 3-0 win was recorded against Japan’s Misa Inayoshi, Noa Fukuoka and Reina Aso; a most emphatic win, not one single individual match was dropped. Zang Xiaotong beat Misa Inayoshi (11-8, 11-2, 11-3), Shi Xunyao accounted for Noa Fukuoka (11-5, 11-6, 11-7); Yuan Yuan concluded matters by overcoming Reina Aso (11-6, 11-8, 12-10).
Defeat but a most worthy effort by the Japanese outfit who had started proceeding as the no.12 seeds. At the quarter-final stage they recorded a 3-1 win in opposition to the no.19 seeds, Chinese Taipei’s Chen Ci-Xuan, Chen Tzu-Ting and Jhou Ting-Yu, before emerging successful by the same margin at the semi-final stage when facing the no.2 seeds, Hong Kong’s Chau Wing Sze, Lee Ka Yee and Wong Chin Yau.
Impressive from Shi Xunyao, Yuan Yuan and Zhang Xiaotong; it was even more impressive in the cadet girls’ team event from Chen Yi, Kuai Man and Qin Yuxuan, not one single match was surrendered.
Similar to their junior colleagues, a direct entry to the semi-finals, a 3-0 win was recorded in opposition to the combination of Japan’s Naoe An and Yua Yamasaki, who lined up alongside Romania’s Elena Zaharia, before in the final, the same score-line was claimed when facing Chinese Taipei’s Chen Tsai-Ni, Kiu Ru-Yun and Wang Hsiao-Hsin.
In the opposite half of the draw, in the quarter-final round, the Chinese Taipei trio had beaten the team formed by Croatia’s Hana Arapovic, Hungary’s Dorottya Tolgyes and Anna Hursey of Wales. A 3-1 success had been the order of play; one round later at the semi-final stage, a 3-0 outcome was the result in opposition to the international selection comprising Mexico’s Arantxa Cossio Aceves, Egypt’s Hana Goda and Malamatenia Papadimitriou of Greece.
Attention now turns to the individual events, play concludes in Bangkok on Sunday 19th May.
