by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Both caused the United States anguish. After accounting for the Dominican Republic’s Esmerlyn Castro, the no.15 seed (11-6, 11-7, 11-5, 11-2), Chen Yi beat Amy Wang, the no.4 seed (11-13, 11-5, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10). Similarly, Huang Yingqi ended the medal dreams of Crystal Wang, the no.2 seed (6-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9), prior to recording a quarter-final success against Russia’s Anastasia Kolish (11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-13, 11-1, 11-8).
The reason for the fact that both the second and third seeds appeared in the same half of the draw was owing to the fact that in the group stage one day earlier, Crystal Wang had experienced defeat at the hands of Romania’s Elena Zaharia (13-11, 12-10, 11-7) and had thus concluded the group in second place.
Success for Elena Zaharia and although it was to be defeat in the main draw at the quarter-final stage, considering she is only 11 years old it was a fine performance. She was beaten by Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee, the no.5 seed, who in the opening round had ousted the Czech Republic’s Zdena Blaskova, the no.6 seed (11-4, 5-11, 4-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-3).
In a manner similar to Crystal Wang, Zdena Blaskova had finished in second place in her group and I wonder was she beaten by the eventual winner? Ominously she suffered defeat at the hands of Huang Yingqi (11-5, 11-9, 11-8).
Three surprise semi-finalists, the one other was as expected; Japan’s Miyuu Kihara, the top seed, accounted for China’s Xu Fan (11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9) and Korea’s Ryu Hanna (10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6), to reserve her place in the last four.
At the semi-final stage Miyuu Kihara meets Huang Yingji, Chen Yi opposes Lee Ka Yee.
Places in the Girls’ Singles semi-finals for Miyuu Kihara and Lee Ka Yee; it is the same in the Cadet Girls’ Doubles competition.
Together they overcame the partnership formed by Croatia’s Hana Arapovic and Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi at the quarter-final stage (11-2, 11-5, 11-8) and now meet the European partnership of Romania’s Tania Plaian and Poland’s Anna Wegrzyn in the penultimate round.
In the opposite half of the draw, Zdena Blaskova and Anastasia Kolish meet Huang Yingqi and Ryu Hanna.
At the quarter-final stage Tania Plain and Anna Wegrzyn beat Canada’s Ivy Liao and Isabelle Xiong (11-2, 11-8, 11-8); Zdena Blaskova and Anastasia Kolish accounted for the Latin American combination of the Dominican Republic’s Esmerlyn Castro and Ecuador’s Nathaly Paredes (11-5,14-16,11-6,11-9), whilst the Asian combination of Huang Yingqi and Ryu Hanna ended the hopes of the United States.
They overcame the combination of Crystal Wang and Amy Wang (11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7).
Play concludes on Saturday 29th October.
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Schedule of Play
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Boys’ Teams and Girls’ Teams
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Team – First Stage Results
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Team – First Stage Results
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Team – Main Draw
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Team – Main Draw
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Groups
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Positions 1-16
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Positions 17-32
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Groups
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Positions 1-16
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Positions 17-32
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Doubles
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Doubles
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Mixed Doubles