Hong Kong, fielding the trio of Mak Tze Wing, Minnie Soo Wai Yam and Zhu Chengzhu throughout the second stage of proceedings in the Junior Girls’ Team event at the 2014 Chinese Taipei Junior and Cadet Open in Taipei City, emerged as the champions on Thursday 25th September.

The second seeds, they recorded a three matches to one win in the penultimate round and success by the same margin in the final.

Star of the show was 16 year old Minnie Soo Wai Yam; she remained unbeaten in both contests.

Mainstay of Victory

In the final against Chinese Taipei ‘A’, she beat both Chiu Ssu-Hua (11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6) and Huang Yu-Chiao (11-4, 11-6, 11-8), having in the semi-final duel against Chinese Taipei ‘D’ accounted for Kuo Chia-Yun (11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6) and Lin Po-Hsuan (11-4, 11-3, 11-6).

Support against Chinese Taipei ‘D’ came in the guise of Zhu Chengzhu, who in the third match of the contest, beat Chen Ying-Chen (9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-9); whilst to complete a team effort, in the final, Mak Tze Wing beat Li Yu-Jhun in the third match of the engagement (11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 11-8).

Chinese Taipei Success

Success for Chinese Taipei came at the semi-final stage when Lin Po-Hsuan beat Mak Tze Wing in the opening match of the contest (11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8); whilst in the final, also in the duel that started the fixture, Huang Yu-Chiao defeated Zhu Chengzhu (11-3, 11-7, 13-11).

Overcame Top Seeds

Defeat for Chinese Taipei but there was consolation in the fact they did upset the pecking order; the third seeds, they beat the top seeded Japanese duo of Rira Ishikawa, Ayane Morita and Yuko Kato by three matches to one at the semi-final stage.

The one win for Japan was recorded by Ayane Morita in the opening match of the fixture (9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6), after Rira Ishikawa had suffered defeat by the very narrowest of margins against Chiu Ssu-Hua (9-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-6, 12-10).

Sadness for Rira Ishikawa, there was also disappointment on her second visit to the table; she was beaten by Huang Yu-Chiao (11-4, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8); the one further reverse for Japan came in the immediate preceding match. Yuko Kato lost to Li Yu-Jhun (11-7, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7).

Individual Events Begin

Play in the Team events over, attention now turns to the individual events; matters commence on Friday 26^th September.

Live Coverage 

2014 Chinese Taipei Junior and Cadet Open : Live Coverage on Thursday 25th September plus Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th September

Article by: Ian Marshall

Photo by: Courtesy of Organising Committee