by Ian Marshall
Six matches taking place in the Metropolitan Gymnasium, they were the last to finish, the contest between Korea Republic and France taking over the hour mark, that involving China and Slovakia more than 90 minutes.
Kim Junggil and Kim Younggun gave Korea Republic the vital good start by overcoming Florian Merrien and Nicolas Savant-Aira in a gruelling doubles exchange (14-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8).
The win was crucial, in the immediately ensuing contest Kim Younggun was firing on all cylinders as he name may suggest, he beat Maxime Thomas in convincing style (11-9, 11-2, 11-5).
Equally, the doubles was vital for China’s Cao Ningning and Guo Xingyuan; they overcame Peter Mihalik and Boris Travincek in tense full distance duel (11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7). Hard fought, it was no different in the next contest, by the minimal margin Cao Ningning overcame Boris Travincek (11-3, 11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 11-9).
Tense, at one stage it appeared that a deciding contest might be needed; in the fifth game Boris Travincek led 9-6, from that moment onwards, to his great credit, Cao Ningning played error free.
The final is scheduled for Thursday 2nd September at 10.00 am.
Finalists known, in women’s team class 9-10, the semi-finalists are now known.
China’s Xiong Guiyuan and Zhao Xiaojing recorded a 2-0 success against Chinese Taipei’s Tan Shiau and Lin Tzu-Yu; by the same margin Poland’s Natalia Partyka and Caroline Pek ended any dreams of medal glory the host nation may have possessed. They posted a 2-0 win against Japan’s Nozomi Takeuchi and Yuri Tomono.
Similarly, it was a 2-0 success for Australia’s Lei Li Na and Yang Qian in opposition to Hungary’s Zsofia Arloy and Yang Qian.
Comprehensive victories, for Brazil’s Bruna Alexandre and Danielle Rauen, life was more exacting; they needed the full three matches to overcome Turkey’s Merve Demir and Neslihan Kavas.
Merve Demir and Neslihan Kavas secured the doubles (3-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-8), before Bruna Alexandre beat Merve Demir (11-9, 11-7, 11-6) and Danielle Rauen overcame Neslihan Kavas (11-3, 11-9, 11-6) to complete the recovery.
The semi-finals will be played later today at 7.30 pm.
