by Ian Marshall, Editor
Following a 3-0 win against the no.12 seeds, Thailand’s Yanapong Panagitgun, Veerapat Puthkungasern and Wattanachai Samranvong to complete the group stage in first place; Japan, the no.5 seeds, caused the biggest upset of the tournament to date.
Fielding the same three players in the guise of Shunsuke Togami, Hiroto Shinozuka and Yukiya Uda they recorded a 3-1 win in opposition to the top seeds, the Russian trio formed by Maksim Grebnev, Lev Katsman and Vladimir Sidorenko.
Significantly, it was a true team effort. In the opening contest Yukiya Uda lost to Lev Katsman (11-8, 11-8, 11-8), before Shunsuke Togami beat Vladimir Sidorenko (11-6, 11-8, 11-9) to level proceedings. Hiroto Shinozuka swayed the momentum of the fixture by overcoming Maksim Grebnev (8-11, 12-10, 11-2, 11-8), prior to Yukiya Uda returning to the action to seal the victory. He beat Vladimir Sidorenko (11-9, 11-5, 11-9).
Harsh result
Disappointment for Russia in the boys’ team event; just over two hours earlier in the quarter-finals of the girls’ team event it had been the same fate for their female counterparts.
The no.3 seeds, the combination formed by Elizabet Abraamian, Anastasia Kolish and Mariia Tailakova experienced defeat in opposition to the no.14 seeds, the DPR Korea combination of Kim Kum Yong, Kim Un Song and Pyon Song Gyong.
A 3-0 reverse was the order of the day but the result was somewhat harsh on the Russian trio. Anastasia Kolish extended Pyon Song Gyong the full five games distance in the opening match (11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 11-4), as did Mariia Tailakova against Kim Kum Yong in the immediately ensuing encounter (7-11, 11-3, 14-16, 11-8, 11-5). The momentum very much with DPR Korea, Kim Un Song concluded matters by overcoming Elizabet Abraamian (11-9, 11-5, 14-12).
Close call for Chinese Taipei
Defeats contrary to seeding; Chinese Taipei came very close to following the same path.
At the quarter-final stage of the boys’ team event selecting Feng Yi-Hsin, Huang Yu-Jen and Tai Ming-Wei, Chinese Taipei, the no.2 seeds, needed the full five matches to beat the no.10 seeds, the United States combination of Michael Minh Tran, Nikhil Kumar and Victor Liu. Similarly
Feng Yi-Hsin proved the backbone of the Chinese Taipei victory. He accounted for Michael Minh Tran (11-7, 11-9, 12-10) and Nikhil Kumar (10-12, 11-4, 11-3, 13-11).
Similarly, in the girls’ team event, lining up alongside Chien Tung-Chuan and Cai Fong-En; Yu Hsui-Ting was the mainstay of a 3-2 success for Chinese Taipei, the no.4 seeds, in opposition to the no.8 seeds, the German trio comprising Anastasia Bondareva, Franziska Schreiner and Sophia Klee. Yu Hsui-Ting accounted for Anastasia Bondareva (11-7, 11-7, 11-9) and Franziska Schreiner (8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6).
Intentions clear
A close call for Chinese Taipei; not for China, intentions were made very clear.
At the quarter-final stage of the boys’ team event, the no.3 seeds, the outfit formed by Liu Yebo, Xiang Peng and Xu Yingbin recorded a 3-0 win against the no.8 seeds, Germany’s Kirill Fadeev, Kay Stumper and Felix Wetzel.
In a similar manner, at the same stage of the girls’ competition, the top seeded trio of Chen Yi, Kuai Man and Shi Xunyao showed no charity when facing the no.7 seeds, the French combination of Isa Cok, Camille Lutz and Prithika Pavade. A 3-0 margin of victory was the outcome.
Success for France
Difficult times for France; it was rather different in the boys’ team event. The no.4 seeds, the combination of Lilian Bardet, Alexis Lebrun and Vincent Picard recorded a 3-0 win against the no.6 seeds, Singapore’s Beh Kun Ting, Josh Chua Shao Han and Pang Yew En Koen.
Progress in an emphatic manner, it was very much the same in the girls’ team event for the no.2 seeds, the Japanese trio formed by Kyoka Idesawa, Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki. They posted a 3-1 win in opposition to the no.5 seeds, the United States selection of Amy Wang, Crystal Wang and Rachel Yang; the one win for the United States was recorded in the opening match of the fixture when Amy Wang best Miyu Nagasaki (11-7, 18,1-3, 7-11, 11-5).
Semi-finals
At the semi-final stage of the boys’ team event Japan meets China, Chinese Taipei opposes France; in the girls’ team competition it is China against DPR Korea, Japan in opposition to Chinese Taipei.
The fixtures will be played on Tuesday 26th November.
