Outstanding Display, Guan Mengyuan Catches the Eye in Incheon

Guan Mengyuan was very much the player to catch the eye, as proceedings concluded on the second day of play, Thursday 4^th April 2013, at the ITTF World Tour Korean Air, Korean Open in Incheon.

In both the Women’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles event she was in fine form, upsetting the World order in both events.

She cemented first place in her group in the Women’s Singles competition by overcoming Korea’s Lee Zion in four straight games (11-7, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9); the win was as World ranking predicted.

Guan Mengyuan is at no.174, Lee Zion at no.348.

However, on the opening day of action, Guan Mengyuan had upset proceedings by overcoming Japan’s Mima Ito, World ranked no.110, in a most impressive fashion (11-4, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8) and thus finished in first place in the group. Mima Ito secured second place by virtue of a first day straight games win over Lee Zion (11-7, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9).

Equally, in the Under 21 Women’s Singles event, Guan Mengyuan was in fine form and causing upsets.

Listed at no.56 on the recently published Under 21 Women’s World Rankings, she accounted for Korea’s Kang Haneul (7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9, 11-2) as status predicted, Kang Haneul is named at no.152 on the global list.

A good performance but on the second day even better; she overcame Japan’s Yui Hamamoto, listed at no.46 (12-10, 11-8, 11-9) before cementing first place in the group by defeating Turkey’s Sanem Sahin, World ranked no.291 (11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4).

In style, a place in the main draw booked, Guang Mengyuan duly reserved her place in round two with another surprise win; she ended the hopes of Japan’s Shiho Matsudaira in impressive fashion; she won in three straight games (11-8, 11-5, 14-12).

Shiho Matsudaira is listed at no.20 on the present Under 21 Women’s World Rankings.

Success for Hong Kong but there was disappointment.

Doo Hoi Kem was beaten in her concluding Women’s Singles group stage match by Japan’s Ayana Morita in five games (12-10, 12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6) and had to settle for third place in the group and thus no place in the main draw.

On the opening day, Doo Hoi Kem, named at no.121 on the Women’s World Rankings, had beaten Korea’s Yoo Eunchong, listed at no.143 (11-8, 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 7-11, 8-11, 11-4).  However, on her first visit to the table, Yoo Eunchong had beaten Ayane Morita, World ranked no.223, in five games (11-2, 11-4, 10-12, 11-3, 11-5); thus three players finished level with two wins each, all beat Japan’s Myuko Okamoto.

Games ratio thus determined the outcome with Yoo Eunchong finishing in first place (7:5), Ayane Morita second (5:5) and Doo Hoi Kem third (5:7); for the Hong Kong teenager no place in the main draw.

No place in the main draw for Doo Hoi Kem in the Women’s Singles event but in the Under 21 Women’s Singles competition, it was much better news; having negotiated the first stage of affairs successfully, she duly booked her place in the second round by recording an opening round success over Singapore’s Zhou Yihan (11-9, 11-8, 11-5).

An unexpected win, Doo Hoi Kem is currently at no.30 on the Under 21 Women’s World Rankings, Zhou Yihan is at no.21.

However, that was not the biggest upset in the opening round of the Under 21 Women’s Singles event; the biggest was the demise of Yang Haeun, the no.2 seed, she was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s Liu Yu-Hsin in four games (11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9) and was one of three notable names to fall.

Chen Szu-Yu, also from Chinese Taipei and no.5 seed, was beaten by Korea’s in form Yoo Eunchong (11-3, 12-14, 15-13, 11-9); whilst Japan’s Misaki Morizono, the no.6 seed, also suffered at Korean hands.

She was beaten by Jung Yumi (11-6, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7).

Defeats for three of the top eight names in the first round of the Under 21 Women’s Singles event but there was success for the other five with Hong Kong enjoying notable success.

Lee Ho Ching, the no.7 seed, recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat Japan’s Miyu Maeda (8-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8), whilst Ng Wing Nam, the no.8 seed, also caused Japan pain. She beat Sakura Mori (11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10).

Reverses for Japan but there was success in the opening round of the Under 21 Women’s Singles event. Kasumi Ishikawa, the top seed, beat Austria’s Sofia Polcanova (11-9, 11-9, 11-6); whilst in a similar manner Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.3 seed, defeated Korea’s Kim Byeolnim (6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11) and Germany’s Petrissa Solja, the no.4 seed, ended the aspirations of Kasumi Ishikawa’s colleague Yu Amano (7-11, 13-11, 13-11, 12-10). 

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall