Tournaments

Sun International 2016 World Junior Table Tennis Championships

Tournament News
World Junior Championships

Leading names succeed but only just, stern test for fifth seed

05 Dec 2016

Direct entries to the main draw, the leading names on duty in the Girls’ Singles event at the Sun International 2016 World Junior Championships in Cape Town, South Africa all emerged successful as play commenced in the upper half of the draw on the early afternoon of Monday 5th December.

However, for one young lady there was a scare; Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the no.5 seed and a player who surely has eyes focused on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, was thoroughly tested by Germany’s Luisa Saeger. She needed the full seven games to ensure victory (11-9, 6-11, 11-1, 9-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-2).

Defeat with honour for Luisa Saeger (Photo: Rémy Gros)

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Otherwise, the highly seeded names enjoyed success. Japan’s Miu Hirano, the top seed, beat Caroline Hajok, like Luisa Saeger from Germany (11-3, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8); whilst colleague, Miyu Kato accounted for Canada’s Ivy Liao (11-4, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4).

Similarly, Korea’s Kim Jiho, the no.8 seed, overcame Slovenia’s Tamara Pavcnik (11-6, 11-7, 11-5, 11-3), Romania’s Andreea Dragoman, the no.10 seed, accounted for Serbia’s Tijiana Jokic (12-10, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10), whilst China’s Liu Weishan, the no.11 seed, ended the hopes of Belgium’s Lisa Lung (11-5, 11-7, 11-7, 11-2).

Impressive wins, it was the same from Russia’s Maria Tailakova, the no.14 seed and Marie Migot of France, the no.16 seed. Maria Tailakova accounted for Puerto Rico’s Lineris Rivera (12-10, 11-13, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8); Marie Migot overcame the defensive skills of Angela Guan of the United States (11-6, 10-12, 13-11, 11-9, 11-8).

“It was not an easy match because I am not so good playing against a defender. I was a bit nervous before match. I won the first game easily and in second I was leading 10-6 but I lost but in the third game she was leading 10-6 and I won. Her style was so difficult for me. The match was so important to me because it is not always easy getting back into the game after losing in the team event. I will remain focus as the competition progresses”, Marie Migot

Meanwhile, for two players who in the qualification stage of play had finished in first places in their respective groups against expectations, it was defeat.

Korea’s Heo Miryeo, a young lady with no current World ranking, who had finished her initial phase group ahead of Belgium’s Eline Loyen and Canada’s Alicia Coté, experienced defeat againt Romania’s Tania Plaian (11-8, 11-9, 11-9, 15-13). In the group phase of proceedings, Tania Plaian had finished in second place behind Hong Kong’s Liu Qi.

In a similar manner, it was defeat for Serbia’s Dragana Vignjevic; the player who had excelled expectations by finishing ahead of Chen Ying-Chen in the group qualification stage. One day later Chinese Taipei extracted revenge, Chen Ying-Chen’s colleague, Tsai Yu-Chin, accounted for Dragana Vignjevic in seven games (11-9, 10-12, 6-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9, 11-7).

Play in the second round of the Girls’ Singles event takes place on Tuesday 6th December.

World Junior Championships Minnie Soo Wai Yam Luisa Saeger

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