by Ian Marshall, Editor

Shu Zi led the line, he beat India’s Deepit Patil, the no.10 seed (11-6, 11-9, 11-3); Tang Tsz Hsun followed suit, he accounted for Korea Republic’s Park Gyeongtae, the no.11 seed (11-6, 14-12, 11-9). Impressive performances, it was the same from Woo Hyeonggyu, he prevailed against Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yan-Cheng, the no.12 seed.

Problems for notable names but not at the top of the order; Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen, Thailand’s Yanapong Panagitgun and Iran’s Amin Ahmadian alongside Chinese Taipei’s Tai Ming-Wei all secured first places in their respective groups without alarm bells sounding.

Similarly, in the junior girls’ singles event there were surprise first places; Hong Kong’s Wong Chin Yau and Luk Sze Yu defied the odds to end the day at the top of the list, as did Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Lam and Tiffany Ke of the United States.

Wong Chin Yau remained unbeaten, significantly accounting for Korea Republic’s Cho Haeeun, the no.9 seed (11-4, 11-7, 11-7); it was a similar situation for Ng Wing Lam, she accounted for Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi, the no.13 seed (11-8, 11-3, 13-11). Likewise Tiffany Ke ousted India’s Manushree Patil, the no.14 seed (12-10, 12-10, 11-3).

However, for Luk Sze Yu, life was different; she experienced defeat at the hands of Anna Hursey of Wales, the no.15 seed, losing in five games (8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 12-10) but in the concluding match in the group accounted for India’s Anusha Katumbale in four games (10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8). Sandwiched in between, Anusha Katumbale had recorded a similar margin of success in opposition to Anna Hursey (10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8). Thus games ratio decided the outcome; Luk Sze Yu finished in first position (5:4) ahead of Anusha Kutumbale (4:4) and Anna Hursey (4:5).

Difficult times for prominent names in the group stage of the junior girls’ singles event but not amongst the most prominent. Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and Kaho Akae duly topped their groups as did Chinese Taipei’s Yu Hsiu-Ting and Lee Ka Yee.

Meanwhile, in the cadet boys’ singles, the top four names in the guise of Japan’s Sora Matsushima, Iran’s Navid Shams and Singapore’s Isaac Quek Yong in addition to Hong Kong’s Yiu Kwan To all remained unbeaten to secure first places in their respective groups.

Rather differently, in the counterpart cadet girls’ singles event there were surprises amongst the leading names. Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Yun-En, the top seed, lost to Hong Kong’s Chow Ka Ching (8-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4); India’s Anargya Majunath, the no.4 seed, was beaten by Angie Tan of the United States. Chow Ka Ching and Angie Tan remained unbeaten to secure first places, for Tsai Yun-En and Anargya Majunath it was runners up.

Surprise outcomes but not for Japan’s Miwa Harimoto, the no.2 seed and Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi, the no.3 seed; both reserved first places without defeat.

Throughout, players finishing in first and second positions in each of the initial phase groups advance to the main draw; on Saturday 10th August, the early rounds and quarter-finals will be played.