by Ian Marshall, Editor

Success for Suh Hyowon but she is the only Korean player to progress to the quarter-final round of the Women’s Singles event. Both qualifiers, Jeon Jihee was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.8 seed (8-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-8, 14-12); Choi Hyojoo experienced defeat at the hands of China’s Wang Manyu, the no.3 seed (11-3, 11-4, 11-13, 15-13, 11-7, 11-5).

Outcomes as seeding advised; that was the situation throughout the second round of the Women’s Singles event but there were results that caught the eye. Most notably, the all Chinese duel witnessed success for Chen Meng, the top seed, in opposition to Ding Ning, the no.12 seed and the most successful player of the modern era. Impressively Chen Meng emerged successful in five games (11-7, 7-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-9)-

Similarly, the performances executed by Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa and Mima Ito attracted the attention; both accounted for most worthy Chinese adversaries. Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.4 seed, beat Sun Yingsha, the no.11 seed (9-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-8, 11-2); Mima Ito, the no.6 seed, overcame the defensive skills of qualifier Hu Limei (4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7).

Defeats for China against Japanese adversaries, for Liu Shiwen and Zhu Yuling it was the reverse scenario. Liu Shiwen, the no.5 seed, accounted for Honoka Hashimoto (14-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6); Zhu Yuling ended the hopes of Miyu Kato (11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9). Both Honoka Hashimoto and Miyu Kato had been required to compete in the two day qualification tournament.

At the quarter-final stage Chen Meng faces Cheng I-Ching, Liu Shiwen opposes Wang Mangyu; in the opposite half of the draw Kasumi Ishikawa confronts Mima Ito, Suh Hyowon opposes Zhu Yuling.

The contests involving Liu Shiwen and Wang Manyu, in addition to that involving Kasumi Ishikawa and Mima Ito will be played later in the day; the two remaining last eight matches will be enacted on the morning of Saturday 21st July.