by Ian Marshall, Editor

Notably Azerbaijan’s Ning Jing, the no.18 seed, who earlier had lost to Su Pei-Ling (3-11, 11-3, 16-18, 10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-8) ended the day on a bright note. She overcame Esther Oribamese in straight games (12-10, 11-1, 11-7, 11-5). Andreea Dragoman remains the one unbeaten player in the group, her concluding contest against Ning Jing, the winner of the Junior Girls’ Singles title at the European Youth Championships two months ago is on a knife-edge. A win for Ning Jing and it is the end of the road for Su Pei-Ling.

Success against the odds for Andreea Dragoman in the late afternoon and evening session of play; it was the same for DPR Korea’s Pyon Song Gong, the no.32 seed. Having accounted for Croatia’s Andrea Pavlovic, the no.15 seed, in her opening contest (11-5, 11-7, 11-3, 11-6), she continued her good form to overcome Nadezhda Bogdanova of Belarus, the no.20 seed (11-4, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9). Pyon Song Gong now meets Japan’s Miu Hirano, the top seed. She maintained her unbeaten record by overcoming Andrea Pavlovic (11-1, 11-7, 11-4, 11-3). The results mean that both Miu Hirano and Pyong Song Gong have qualified for the main draw

Success contrary to expectations, it was the same for Russia’s Maria Tailakova, the no.24 seed, in her one and only match of the day; like Andreea Dragoman, she caused a major upset, she accounted for Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee, the no.8 seed (11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6).

Otherwise, for the leading names, the day ended without due alarm.

In addition to Miu Hirano, China’s Sun Yingsha, the no.2 seed, beat Lucie Gauthier of France, the no.16 seed (8-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-5, 11-5), Puerto Rico’s, Adriana Diaz, the no.4 seed, overcame Germany’s Franziska Schreiner, the no.14 seed (14-12, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8). Likewise, Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi, the no.7 seed, accounted for New Zealand’s Vong Hui Ling, the no.22 seed (11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 11-3).

Play in the Women’s Singles qualification stage concludes on Monday 8th October.