12 April 2013
　

Battle to Stay Alive, Three Thousand Strong Crowd Engrossed in Tense Duels
　

Engrossed spectators in the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium watched intently as matches on the opening day of the Women’s event in the GAC GROUP Asian Cup came to a close on the evening of Friday 12th April 2013.

A crowd of approaching three thousand, most creditable for a normal working day and for the qualification stage of affairs, not only watched but they tried to will their own, Lee Ho Ching, to victory over Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, in a contest that featured two of the brightest young stars of the present day.

Arguably they are two players, who have the talent and the capabilities, to threaten the might of China.

Survival

However, on the evening of the opening day of play, survival was at stake.

Both had suffered defeats on their first two visits to table; for the winner it was third place in the group and a berth in the qualification round, for the loser it was the end of interest.

Despite the efforts of the crowd, at all times giving their visitor due acclaim, it was Kasumi Ishikawa who prevailed. A score line of four games to two (11-8, 11-13, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8) was the end result in a contest where seemingly ever point was an extended close to the table counter top spin exchange.

Injury Hit Korean

Thus it was third place in the group for Kasumi Ishikawa; first place went to China’s Wu Yang who completed the day unbeaten, her concluding contest being in somewhat unfortunate circumstances.

Throughout the day, Korea’s Seok Hajung had complained of a shoulder injury; if you have a shoulder injury, Wu Yang, with her solid backspin play, is arguably the opponent you do not wish to meet!

Already guaranteed a quarter-final place; after losing opening game (11-2), Seok Hajung conceded the match; second place in the group was the Korean’s lot.

Places Decided

First place in the group for Wu Yang and it was first place in the group for her colleague, Liu Shiwen, the no.1 seed.

She concluded her group stage matches by defeating DPR Korea’s Ri Myong Sun in five games (12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3).

Second place in the group went to Korea’s Yang Haeun as a result of her victory over Singapore’s Yu Mengyu (13-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-2). The defeat experienced by Yu Mengyu meant she ended the day in third place and thus advanced to the qualification play-off round; for Liu Shiwen and Yang Haeun it was a quarter-final place duly reserved.

Close Call for Feng Tianwei

Defeat for Yu Mengyu but for her colleague it was success, Feng Tianwei concluded the day unbeaten and in first place in the group but it was a hard fought final place.

In her concluding match, she was extended the full seven games distance by Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yi-Hua, victory being clinched by the very narrowest of margins (11-7, 5-11, 11-13, 6-11, 11-1, 11-7, 14-12).

Somewhat ironically, Huang Yi-Hua ended the day without a win to her name!

Problem in Rallies

“Today I don’t think I played that well”, reflected Feng Tianwei. “The problem was not with service and receive of service; the problem has been in the rallies, I’ve not been able to control the ball as I would have wished, not really reacting well.”

Nevertheless, three matches completed, not playing that well but first place in the group; surely that’s the description of a very good player.

Second Place in Group

Second place in the group went to Hong Kong’s Jiang Huajun with Japan’s Sayaka Hirano in third spot; the final decision being a result of Jiang Huajun’s six games victory over Sayaka Hirano (13-15, 13-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5) in the contest that brought the matches in the group to a finality.

Pole Position for Nanthana Komwong

Meanwhile, in the group involving players from West Asia, South Asia and South East Asia, it was Thailand’s Nanthana Komwong who ended the day at the top of the list.

She overcame Qatar’s Aia Mohamed to secure first place (11-4, 11-1, 11-5, 11-5).

Women’s First Stage

Group A

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Yu Mengyu (SIN) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4

Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Ri Myong Sun (PRK) 14-12, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Yang Haeun (KOR) 12-10, 11-4, 13-11, 11-1

Yu Mengyu (SIN) bt Ri Myong Sun (PRK) 11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5

Liu Shiwen (CHN) bt Ri Myong Sun (PRK) 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3

Yang Haeun (KOR) bt Yu Mengyu (SIN) 13-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-2

Final Positions: 1. Liu Shiwen (CHN) 2. Yang Haeun (KOR) 3. Yu Mengyu (SIN) 4. Ri Myong Sun (PRK)

Group B

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 12-10

Jiang Huajun (HKG) bt Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Jiang Huajun (HKG) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10, 14-12)

Sayaka Hirano (JPN) bt Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) 10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7, 11-4

Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) 11-7, 5-11, 11-13, 6-11, 11-1, 11-7, 14-12

Jiang Huajun (HKG) bt Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 13-15, 13-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5

Final Positions: 1. Feng Tianwei (SIN) 2. Jiang Huajun (HKG) 3. Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 4. Huang Yi-Hua (TPE)

Group C

Seok Hajung (KOR) bt Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8

Wu Yang (CHN) bt Lee Ho Ching (HKG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4

Wu Yang (CHN) bt Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2

Seok Hajung (KOR) bt Lee Ho Ching (HKG) 14-12, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5

Wu Yang (CHN) bt Seok Hajung (KOR) 11-2, 11-0, 11-0, 11-0

Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) bt Lee Ho Ching (HKG) 11-8, 11-13, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8

Final Positions: 1. Wu Yang (CHN) 2. Seok Hajung (KOR) 3. Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) 4. Lee Ho Ching (HKG)

Group D

Shamini Kumaresan (IND) by Aia Mohamed (QAT) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7

Nanthana Komwong (THA) bt Shamini Kumaresan (IND)11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5

Nanthana Komwong (THA) bt Aia Mohamed (QAT) 11-4, 11-1, 11-5, 11-5

Final Positions: 1. Nanthana Komwong (THA) 2. Shamini Kumaresan (IND) 3. Aia Mohamed (QAT)

Article by: Ian Marshall