by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
A dramatic end to the day witnessed a semi-final Mixed Doubles success for An Jaehyun and Kim Jiho, the no.8 seeds, in opposition to China’s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, the no.2 seeds. After surrendering one match point in the seventh game on a cruel edge ball, they converted at the second attempt (12-10, 3-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 6-11, 12-10)
In the final, Xu Fei and Wang Manyu, the top seeds, await; at the semi-final stage they beat Romania’s Cristian Pletea and Adina Diaconu, the no.4 seeds (11-5, 11-9, 11-3, 11-9).
Success against China in the Mixed Doubles penultimate round; for An Jaehyun and Baek Hogyun in the Boys’ Doubles it was success against China at the quarter-final stage. Likewise the no.8 seeds, the Korean duo accounted for Niu Guankai and Xu Haidong, the no.2 seeds (12-14, 11-3, 13-11, 10-12, 4-11, 11-8, 11-4), before booking their place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Japan’s Masaki Takami and Yuto Kizukuri (12-10, 15-13, 11-8, 2-11, 11-9).
At the final stage, the Koreans face China’s Wang Chuqin and Xue Fei, the top seeds; in the round of the last eight, they ousted Korea’s Kim Byunghyeon and Kwak Yubin, the no.22 seeds (6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6) before ending the hopes of Japan’s Yuta Tanaka and Yukiya Uda, the no.6 seeds (9-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10).
Problems for China, there were no such problems in the Girls’ Doubles event, a competition in which Sun Xunyao and Sun Yingsha, the top seeds, meet Qian Tianyi and Wang Manyu, the second seeds, in the final.
Earlier in the day, in the quarter-finals, Shi Xunyao and Sun Yingsha had beaten the Russian pairing of Anastasia Kolish and Mariia Tailakova, the no.6 seeds (6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7, 11-5), prior to overcoming Japan’s Miyu Kato and Miyu Nagasaki, the no.3 seeds (10-12, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7).
Impressive, it had been the same from Qian Tianyi and Wang Manyu; theyovercame Korea’s Kim Jiho and Kim Youjin, the no.5 seeds (11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-1), before recording a semi-final success in opposition to Japan’s Miyuu Kihara and Mitsuho Kimura, the no.7 seeds (11-6, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9).
The Boys’ Doubles, Girls’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles finals will be played on Sunday 3rd December, the closing day of action in Riva del Garda.
