Tournaments

06 Jul 2018

Present last year on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in both Slovakia and Jordan but with no great results as a reward for her efforts, Chinese Taipei’s Liu Ru-Yun was the player to cause arguably the biggest upset of the third day of play, Friday 6th July, at the 2018 China Junior and Cadet Open.

Staged in Taicang, in the group stage of the Cadet Girls’ Singles event she beat the host nation’s Chen Yi (11-9, 3-11, 11-3, 11-6); the top seed and moreover a player in form; Chen Yi had completed the Cadet Girls’ Team event unbeaten and with a gold medal adorning her neck.

by Ian Marshall, Editor

A most creditable win and even more creditable when taking into account the fact that Li Run-Yun is only 11 years old!

“I am happy that I have won the match and gain the chance of advancing. My opponent was very strong and attacked quickly, I applied some strategies and won the game. It is not easy to win.” Li Ru-Yun

Defeat for Chen Yi but the door is not closed. Players finishing in first and second positions in each of the seven groups advance to the main draw. In her opening match of the campaign, Chen Yi accounted for Japan’s Miwa Harimoto (11-4, 11-8, 11-3).

“It was not very difficult to win the match. I knew the strength of Miwa Harimoto through the team competition.” Chen Yi

Liu Ru-Yun now meets Miwa Harimoto in the concluding match in the group.

First place in the Cadet Girls’ Singles group possible; it is the same in the Mini-Cadet Girls’ Singles event. Li Run-Yun ended the day unbeaten.

A place in the main draw of the Cadet Girls’ Singles event still an option for Chen Yi; for Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Nam, the no.3 seed, that possibility has disappeared. She was beaten by both the host nation’s Li Zeyan (11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 11-4) and by Japan’s Yua Yamasaki (9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8).

Pertinently, Australia’s Chemaine Quah suffered defeat against Yua Yamasaki (11-5, 11-5, 11-2) and in opposition to Li Zeyan (11-5, 11-1, 11-9). Yua Yamasaki and Li Zeyan now meet to determine first and second places.

Otherwise in the first stage of the Cadet Girls’ Singles event, it was a day without defeat and first place in the group.

Japan’s Haruna Ojio and Hong Kong’s Phoebe Wai Hui duly topped their groups without alarm, as did China’s Li Yuqi and Ding Zige. However, for Kuai Man, the no.2 seed, there was a close call. She needed the full five games to beat Japan’s Anne Uesawa (12-14, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5).

“I didn’t play to my best. My opponent really challenged. I couldn’t control the match well and I was actually a little nervous.” Kuai Man

Meanwhile, in the Mini Cadet Girls’ Singles competition, in addition to Li Ru-Yun, Hong Kong’s Chelsea Chan Shiu Lam and Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Pu-Syuan ended the day unbeaten, as did Japan’s Anne Uesawa. Notably Anne Uesawa accounted for Egypt’s Hana Goda, the no.3 seed (11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4).

Play continues in the Cadet Girls’ Singles and Mini Cadet Girls’ Singles events on Saturday 7th July, the finals will be played on Sunday 8th July.

World Junior Circuit 2018 China Junior & Cadet Open Liu Ru-Yun
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