Tournaments

ITTF Challenge

2018 ITTF Challenge, Polish Open

Tournament News
Challenge Series

Korean trio responds, semi-final places booked

15 Mar 2018

Consistently places on the podium for the Korean Women’s Team at major tournaments but perhaps in recent years not quite the level of success that has been enjoyed over the past four decades and more; notably they were not present at the recent 2018 ITTF Team World Cup in London.

However, the results gained in the Under 21 Women’s Singles event at the ITTF Challenge Series Polish Open in Spala suggest that a return to past glories may not be too far distant; when play closed on Thursday 15th March; three of the four semi-finalists wore the colours of Korea.

Shin Yubin who beat Satsuki Odo to reach the semi-final round of the Under 21 Women's Singles event (Photo: Hussein Sayed)

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Pride of place went to Choi Hyojoo, the no.13 seed, she used her left handed fast attacking skills to good effect to cause a major second round upset by beating Japan’s Saki Shibata, the top seed (11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7), prior to causing yet another surprise by overcoming the host nation’s Natalia Bajor, the no.7 seed, at the quarter-final stage (11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5).

Impressive from Choi Hyojoo, it was the same from Shin Yubin, the no.12 seed. She accounted for Audrey Zarif of France, the no.12 seed (5-11, 16-14, 11-7, 11-7), prior to reserving her semi-final place courtesy of success in opposition to Japan’s Satsuki Odo (11-4, 11-6. 11-8). A qualifier, Satsuki Odo was a player very much in form. In the second round she had beaten Poland’s Katarzyna Wegrzyn (11-5, 11-6, 11-8), the first round winner in opposition to Japan’s Miyuu Kihara, the no.2 seed (4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5).

Notable performances but was the most worthy Korea, Kim Jiho?

She had been required to compete in the two day qualification tournament. In the latter stages of proceedings she took full advantage of the situation that arose. She overcame fellow qualifiers Hungary’s Leonie Hartbrich (11-7, 11-1, 11-0) and Romania’s Alina Zaharia (11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4) to reserve her place in the last four.

Three Koreans, the one interloper is Russia’s Mariia Tailakova, the no.6 seed; in the later rounds she accounted for Nadezhda Bogdanova of Belarus, the no.10 seed (11-4, 11-4, 11-7), prior to reserving her last four place by overcoming Romania’s Andreea Dragoman, the no.14 seed (10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 15-17, 11-5).

At the semi-final stage Choi Hyojoo meets Kim Jiho, Shin Yubin faces Mariia Tailakova; the Under 21 Women’s Singles event will be played to a conclusion on Friday 16th March.

Challenge Series 2017 Polish Open Shin Yubin Choi Hyojoo Kim Jiho

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