by Ian Marshall, Editor
It was a day dominated by the host nation; at close of play they fielded three of the four men’s singles semi-finalists and by definition a full house in the women’s singles event, having provided all eight quarter-finalists.
Men’s Singles: Quarter-Finals
…………Qualifier, Amir Hossein Hodaei beat Scotland’s Gavin Rumgay, the no.3 seed (11-5, 11-9, 5-11, 12-10, 12-10).
…………Success for Amir Hossein Hodaei but for colleague Amin Amadian it was a different outcome; the no.6 seed, he suffered at the hands of the host nation’s Kim Song Il (11-8, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8).
…………In the all DPR Korea contests, Ham Yu Song, the no.4 seed, beat Ri Jong Sik (9-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8, 12-10); An Ji Song, the no.2 seed, ended the hopes of Kim Ok Chan (11-8, 11-7, 15-13, 7-11, 14-16, 14-12).
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
…………Kim Song Il meets Ham Yu Song; An Ji Song opposes Amir Hossein Hodaei.
…………Pyon Song Gyong caused the biggest upset of the round; the no.6 seed, she accounted for Cha Hyo Sim, the no.2 seed (11-6, 4-11, 11-8, 11-4, 13-15, 15-13).
…………Kim Song I, the top seed, showed her class; she overcame Kim Sol Song (11-8, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7).
…………Hard fought contests, Kim Nam Hae, the no.3 seed, beat Ri Hyon Sim (5-11, 12-10, 11-8, 13-11, 8-11, 11-8); Kim Jin Hyang, the no.7 seed, ended the hopes of Kin Jinju (15-17, 11-2, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8).
Women’s Singles: Semi-Finals
…………Kim Song I confronts Kim Jin Hyang, Kim Nan Hae opposes Pyon Song Gong.
Men’s Doubles: Semi-Finals
…………An all DPR Korea final awaits; An Ji Song and Ro Hyon Song beat Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin and Tai Ming-Wei (11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8), Ham Yu Song and Ri Kwang Myong accounted for colleagues Kim Ok Chan and Ri Jong Sik (11-9, 11-5, 11-7).
Women’s Doubles: Semi-Finals
…………Norway’s Ika Doval and DPR Korea’s Ri Hyon Sim proved a pair in harmony; they beat the host nation’s Ko Su Yong and Ryu Il Gyong (9-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3). In the final they meet Cha Hyo Sim and Kim Nam Hae; they overcame colleagues Kim Jin Hyang and Pyon Song Gyong (11-8, 12-10, 2-11, 11-7) to reserve their place in the final.
Mixed Doubles: Final
…………In an all DPR Korea final Ham Yu Song and Cha Hyo Sim beat An Ji Song and Kim Nam Hae (12-10, 10-12, 11-6, 7-11, 13-11) to claim a career first at an open international tournament.
Under 21 Men’s Singles: Final
…………Feng Yi-Hsin beat colleague Huang Yan-Cheng (11-7, 12-10, 11-7) to win his second such title of the year; in May he won in Slovenia.
Under 21 Women’s Singles: Final
…………Pyong Song Gyong beat colleague Cha Su Yong (11-13, 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7) to claim the first title of her career at an open international tournament.
