by Ian Marshall, Editor
The no.15 seed, in the vital seventh game against China’s Chen Meng, the no.2 seed, a game in which the “fast5” rule applied, alternate serves, first player to five points, Jeon Jihee trailed 2-4, before with her trademark forehand potent, she won the next three points to secure victory (11-10, 11-10, 4-11, 3-11, 5-2, 4-5, 5-4).
Otherwise, it was progress to the semi-final stage as status advised.
Fast lane
Wang Manyu, the no.4 seed, proved the expert in the “fast5” scenario; she trailed colleague Chen Xingtong, the no.5 seed, by two games to one, before surrendering just two points secure victory (7-11, 11-7, 6-11, 5-1, 5-0, 5-1).
In the fast lane, it was not too different for Mima Ito, the no.3 seed when facing the defensive skills of Japanese colleague, Hitomi Sato, the no.13 seed; she prevailed in straight games without the “fast5” regulation being invoked (11-9, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6).
Four the number
An impressive four games in a row, Sun Yingsha, the top seed, did very much the same. She beat Ding Ning, the no.6 seed, for the fourth consecutive time on the international stage this year; she won in five games (11-8, 11-6, 11-10, 9-11, 5-3).
Earlier this year, on the ITTF World Tour, Ding Ning had won in the Korea Republic; the following week she was beaten by Sun Yingsha in Australia, then in September in Yogyakarta at the ITTF-ATTU Asia Championships, before more recently during the first week of October in Sweden.
At the semi-final stage Sun Yingsha meets Wang Manyu, Mima Ito opposes Jeon Jihee.
Progress according to status
Meanwhile, in the counterpart men’s singles event, it was progress to the semi-final stage as status advised.
Defending champion, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju, the no.4 seed, accounted for Germany’s Patrick Franziska, the no.6 seed (10-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-2, 1-5, 5-2) in what was their first ever meeting on international soil.
Immediately following, China’s Xu Xin, the top seed, imposed his authority on proceedings, he overcame Korea Republic’s Jeoung Youngsik, the no.11 seed (11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 5-2) and thus maintained his perfect record against the Korean. It is now nine meetings in world ranking events, nine wins.
Japanese fortunes
Imposing from Xu Xin, it was very similar from colleague Lin Gaoyuan, the no.2 seed, he maintained his ascendancy against Japan’s Jun Mizutani, the no.10 seed (3-11, 11-7, 11-10, 11-4, 5-2).
Beaten by Jun Mizutani at the 2017 Asian Cup in Hyderabad, Lin Gaoyuan has now won the most recent three meetings; prior to today’s encounter in 2018 he prevailed on the ITTF World Tour in his home town of Shenzhen, before later in the year succeeding in the Grand Finals.
Tomokazu Harimoto recovers
Disappointment for Japan but by definition there was success; Tomokazu Harimoto reversed the decision of earlier this year at the ITTF-ATTU Lion Asian Cup in Yokohama. The no.3 seed, he recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat colleague Koki Niwa, the no.15 seed, in six games (6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5, 5-3).
In the penultimate round, Xu Xin meets Tomokazu Harimoto; Lin Gaoyuan confronts Lin Yun-Ju.
Play in Singapore concludes on Sunday 24th November.
