by Henry Chen
Impressively Mu Zi beat both Lan Xi (11-4, 11-9, 11-6) and Chen Xingtong (11-5, 14-12, 11-6) to pave the way for a three matches to one success.
The one remaining win for Bayi was recorded in the opening match of the fixture when Sun Mingyang accounted for Chen Xingtong (11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9); for the defeated the one success was gained in the doubles. Lan Xi and Wu Yang accounted for Liu Xin and Sun Mingyang in straight games (11-7, 11-7).
Defeat but title hopes still alive; for that fact Shandong Luneng must thank Anxin; they recorded a three-one win against play-off contenders, Beijing.
Architect of the victory was Liu Shiwen. She overcame both Guo Yuhan (11-2, 11-7, 11-4) and Li Jiayuan (11-6, 11-5, 11-3); Liu Gaoyang and Feng Yalan added the one further win for Anxin, they beat Ding Ning and Sheng Dandan in the doubles contest (14-12, 8-11, 7-5). The one success for Beijing was secured in the second match of the fixture when Li Jiayuan overcame 1-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 7-5).
A four match victory; it was the popular score-line in the 18th and ultimate round; by the same margin Shandong Luneng accounted for Sichuan.
The leading player in the averages, only two defeats throughout the season, Zhu Yuling once again proved the pivotal player. She beat Yang Yuxin (11-3, 11-7, 11-8) and Guo Yan (11-6, 11-5, 11-4); Gu Yuting and Li Xiaodan added the one further success beating Yang Huijing and Zhou Yihan in the third match of the fixture (11-7, 12-10). The one success for Sichuan was gained in the opening match of the engagement; Guo Yan beaten Li Xiaodan by the very narrowest of margins (11-8, 8-11, 6-11, 13-11, 9-7).
Success for Shandong Luneng, it was the same for Shenzhen but in vain; they beat Shanxi by three matches to nil but to have any hope of a play-off place they needed Shandong Qilu to beat Bayi; it didn’t happen.
A three-nil success but the result was arguably somewhat harsh on Shanxi; all three matches went the full distance. Chen Meng accounted for Jiang Xue (11-3, 11-8, 11-13, 11-13, 7-5), before Wang Yidi overcame Che Xiaoxi (8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7) and Qian Tianyi joined forces with Sun Yingsha to secure the doubles against Guo Yichen and Zheng Shichang (8-11, 11-9, 7-1).
Shenzhen duly finished in fifth position ahead of Beijing and Jilin who concluded their itinerary by overcoming Ordos.
Wang Manyu proved the mainstay of victory in a three-one outcome; she beat both Li Jiayi (11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9) and Zhang Qiang (11-6, 11-6, 14-12). The one further success for Jilin was recorded in the doubles when Chen Ke and Yuan Xuejiao defeated Li Jiayi and Zhu Zhaohui (11-8, 11-5); for Ordos, Zhang Qiang recorded the one success. In the opening match of the contest she overcame Liu Fei (11-5, 11-6, 11-8).
Ordos duly completed matters in eighth place alongside Shanxi with tenth spot being the lot of Sichuan.
Shandong Luneng, having finished in first place in the league, has the right to choose its semi-final opponent; either Bayi or Shandong Qilu.
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