Surprises en route to the quarter-finals in the Women's Singles event at the ITTF 2013 World Tour Spanish Open in Almeria but in the round of the last eight, in the late afternoon of Saturday 19th January, there were no upsets.

In fact it was quite the reverse; the top four seeds imposed their authority on proceedings in a most emphatic manner.

Only one game in total was surrendered; that was by Hong Kong - Jiang Huajun, the no.2 seed, who needed five games to end the hopes of compatriot, Ng Wing Nam, the no.6 seed (11-5, 11-2, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5).

Otherwise, it was a series of straight games successes with no hair out of place.

Convincing Wins
The host nation - Shen Yanfei, the no.1 seed won the all-Spanish duel against Galia Dvorak, the no.10 seed (11-5, 11-4, 12-10, 12-10), Sweden - Matilda Ekholm, the no.3 seed, overcame Spain - Zhu Fang, the no.11 seed (11-8, 11-7, 12-10, 11-5); whilst Hong Kong - Lee Ho Ching ended the aspirations of the Czech Republic - Dana Cechova, the no.8 seed (12-10, 11-7, 11-6, 11-1).

Outstanding Recent Record
It was for all members of the successful quartet a continuation of the good form shown on the ITTF 2012 GAC GROUP World Tour; none more so than from Shen Yanfei.

Now, in her most recent five appearances on Tour, she has always reached the penultimate stage of the Women's Singles event.

Started in Almeria
In April 2012 she was a semi-finalist in Almeria, two months later in June she was crowned the champion; in August she was a bronze medallist in Suzhou at the Harmony China Open and in early in November in Germany, the victor.

Breakthrough for Hong Kong Player
Similarly, Jiang Huajun enjoyed success in Germany; she was a Women's Singles semi-finalist but in that tournament staged in Bremen, the Hong Kong player of note was Lee Ho Ching.

She progressed to the quarter-final stage of a Women's Singles event on the ITTF World Tour for the very first time in her career; then the following week she repeated the success in Poland.

Now in Almeria, she has progressed one stage higher. She is in the semi-finals.

Ended on High Note
Meanwhile, Matilda Ekholm ended the year on a very high note by reaching the quarter-final stage of the Women's Singles event at the GAC GROUP 2012 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, having earlier in the year reached new heights.

She won the Women's Singles title at the ITTF Euro-Africa Series 4th Hasan II, Morocco Open in Rabat.

Semi-Finals
At the semi-final stage in Almeria, Shen Yanfei meets Lee Ho Ching, Matilda Ekholm confronts Jiang Huajun.

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall

Photo by: Pablo Rubio