by Ian Marshall, Editor
Notably in the junior girls’ singles event only one of the top four reserved a penultimate round place; that being Chinese Taipei’s Yu Hsiu-Ting, the no.3 seed; she recorded a quarter-final success in opposition to Germany’s Anastasia Bondareva (11-3, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4).
Somewhat differently, for Japan’s Sakura Yokoi, the top seed, it was a second round defeat at the hands of Hong Kong’s Chau Wing Sze (10-12, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5); the last four place reserved by ousting Korea Republic’s Yu Arin (11-9, 12-10, 4-11, 11-8, 13-15, 7-11, 11-3).
At the semi-final stage Chau Wing Sze meets Korea Republic’s Choi Haeeun, the quarter-final winner in opposition to the host’s Lee Ka Yee, the no.4 seed (8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8); in the opposite half of the draw, Yu Hsiu-Ting opposes Haruna Ojio, like Sakura Yokoi from Japan. In the round of the last eight, Haruna Ojio, who earlier this year reached the under 21 women’s singles quarter-finals at the ITTF Challenge Croatia Open, ended the progress of colleague Kaho Akae, the no.2 seed (11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6).
Surprise names through to the junior girls’ singles semi-finals, it is the same in the counterpart junior boys’ singles event, Korea Republic’s Woo Hyeonggyu and Huang Yan-Cheng being the players to raise the eyebrows.
Woo Hyeonggyu accounted for Hong Kong’s Pau Yik Man, the no.7 seed (8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6) to reserve his semi-final place; similarly Huang Yan-Cheng upset the order by overcoming Thailand’s Yanapong Panagitgun, the no.2 seed (9-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6).
In the penultimate round Woo Hyeonggyu faces Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen, the top seed; he reserved his semi-final place courtesy of success in opposition to Hong Kong’s Su Zhi (11-7, 11-6, 12-14, 11-9, 3-11, 11-5). In the opposite half of the draw, Huang Yan-Cheng confronts Iran’s Amin Ahmadian, the no.3 seed. At the quarter-final stage he ousted Josh Chua Shao Han, the no.5 seed and like Pang Yew En Koen from Singapore. Amin Ahmadian prevailed in six games (10-12, 11-9, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9).
Singapore in evidence, it is the same in the cadet boys’ singles and cadet girls’ singles events. At the semi-final stage of the cadet boys’ singles event Izaac Quek Yong meets Chinese Taipei’s Chang Yu-An, in the penultimate round of the cadet girls’ singles competition Zhou Jingyi opposes Japan’s Miwa Harimoto. In the opposite half of the draw, in the former Japan’s Sora Matsushima plays Hong Kng’s Yu Kwan To; in the latter, Korea Republic’s Kim Nayeong opposes India’s Yashaswini Ghorpade.
Semi-finalists known in the singles events, it is the same in the doubles. In the junior boys’ doubles, Josh Chua Shao Han and Pang Yew En Koen meet Woo Hyeonggyu and Korea Republic colleague, Park Gyeongtae; Chinese Taipei’s Chang Yu-An and Huang Yan-Cheng face Amin Ahmadian and Yanapong Panagitgun.
Chinese Taipei prominent, in the junior girls’ doubles semi-finals their presence is even more marked. Chien Tung-Chuan and Yu Hsiu-Ting face Korea Republic’s Choi Haeeun and Hong Sunsu; Cai Fong-En and Chu Yi-Ching oppose Kaho Akae and Sakura Yoki. Likewise, in the cadet boys’ doubles semi-finals, Chinese Taipei is to the fore. Chuang Chia-Chuan and Kao Cheng-Jul oppose Hong Kong’s Baldwin Chan Ho Wah and Yiu Kwan To; Chang Yu-An joins forces with Jiang Kai of the United States, they face India’s Vishwa Deenadayalan and Payas Jain.
Undoubtedly major candidates for honours, the situation for Chinese Taipei applies also in the cadet girls’ singles competition. In the penultimate round Chu Yi-Ching and Tsai Yun-En face Miwa Harimoto and Haruna Ojio, in the adjacent half of the draw it is India’s Anargya Majunath and Suhana Saini in opposition to Singapore’s Chan Lu Wen and Zhou Jingyi.
Play in Hong Kong concludes on Sunday 11th August.
