by Ian Marshall, Editor

She beat Misaki Morizono emerging successful by the very narrowest of seven games margins (11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9).

Notably, at 26 years of age, Misaki Morizono is one of the more senior members of the plethora of Japanese players present in Linz, having enjoyed success on the ITTF World Tour. In 2014 she reached the Women’s Singles final in both Belarus and Australia, more recently in 2016 in Bulgaria.

A fine performance from Mariia Tailakova, it was the same from colleague, Yana Noskova; in an equally close contest, she overcame Romania’s Adina Diaconu (11-6, 5-11, 8-11, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 15-13).

Likewise, in line with the efforts of Mariia Tailakova when facing Asian adversaries, there were most creditable wins for Poland’s Natalia Partyka, Serbia’s Izabela Lupulesku and Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska, alongside Hungary’s Szandra Pergel and Germany’s Petrissa Solja.

Pride of place went to Izabela Lupulesku who beat Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the player who will always be remembered for overcoming Ding Ning in the contest against China at the Liebherr 2018 World Team Championships. Izabela Lupulesku prevailed in seven games (11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-13, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8).

In a similar manner, facing opposition from the Korea Republic, Natalia Partyka succeeded in a close seven games encounter against Korea Republic’s Ji Eunchae (8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10, 2-11, 11-7), Margaryta Pesotska beat Kim Hayeong (11-5, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7), Petrissa Solja ended the hopes of Kang Dayeon (10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6).

Meanwhile, not to be upstaged, Szandra Pergel ended the hopes of India’s Archana Girish Kamath (11-7, 11-9, 11-9, 4-11, 11-8) who, at the recent Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, finished in a highly creditably fourth place.

Success for Europe, conversely for the hosts, it was an opening preliminary round Women’s Singles defeat; Karoline Mischek suffered at the hands of Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Nam (11-8, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6).

“I played against Ng at a training camp in Hong Kong this summer. I had no chance at that time. Now I won a game, I was always close to her level. I am happy that I could play a good match in front of my crowd at home; that motivated me enormously, a nice experience.” Karoline Mischek

Play in the Women’s Singles qualification tournament matches continue on Wednesday 7th November.