by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Represented by Lee Ka Yee, Wong Chin Yau and Chau Wing Sze; the Hong Kong trio underlined the reasons why they occupied the top seeded position in the competition; they were irrepressible.
Similarly, Serbia’s Sabina Surjan, Izabela Lupulesku and Dragana Vignjevic, the second seeds, proved just as commanding as did the Chinese Taipei combination of Lee Yu-Peng, Chen Ting-Ting and Chen Ying-Chen.
Meanwhile, not to be left out Russia’s Anasastia Kolish, Daria Shadrina and Elizabet Abraamian were in no mood for charity.
The one surprise first place was that gained by the Hungarian trio of Daria Helga, Fanni Harasztovich and Marta Nagypal; they performed the recovery of the day to beat France, the no.5 seeds, by three matches to two; the French being hampered by the absence of Leili Mostafavi.
Isa Cok gave the French the ideal start by beating Daria Helga (11-6, 11-4, 11-8), before Camille Lutz doubled the advantage when accounting for Fanni Harasztovich (14-12, 12-14, 11-9, 11-6). It was at that stage the Hungarian revival began. Marta Nagypal received a walk-over against Leili Mostafavi, before Fanni Harasztovich prevailed against Isa Cok (11-6, 11-5, 11-6) and Daria Helga overcame Camille Lutz (15-13, 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5) to complete the recovery.
The initial stage completed in the Junior Girls’ Team event; in the Cadet Girls’ Team competition, the semi-final stage has been reached.
In the penultimate round Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Jie and Chien Tung-Chuan meet the French outfit comprising Prithika Pavade, Lou Frete and Chloe Chimis; in the opposite half of the draw Lithuania’s Emilja Riliskyte and Kornelija Riliskyte face Russia’s Natalia Malinina and Arina Slautina.
Both the Junior Girls’ Team and Cadet Girls’ Team events conclude on Saturday 11th November.
