Guan Mengyuan Causes Japan More Pain and First Round Upset

Hong Kong’s Guan Mengyuan, who had caused Japan pain in the qualification stages of the Women’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles events at the ITTF World Tour Korean Air Korean Open in Incheon on the first two days of play, continued her liking for players from the Land of the Rising Sun on the third day of action, Friday 5^th April 2013.On the opening day of play she had caused an upset by beating Mima Ito in the Women’s Singles event, on the second day she did the same by overcoming Yui Hamamoto in the Under 21 Women’s Singles competition.

Now on the third day she completed the trilology of wins over higher rated Japanese adversaries.

She overcame Misako Wakamiya, the no.17 seed, in the opening round of the Women’s Singles event.

The 21 year old who was a member of the Hong Kong squad at the recent Times Property World Team Classic in Guangzhou, posted a five games victory to book her place in the second round (11-8, 11-4, 13-15, 11-9, 11-4).

In Incheon, the first three days of the tournament have seen Guang Mengyuan very much realise the potential displayed when she excelled on the ITTF Junior Circuit.

In 2008 she reached the semi-final stage of the Junior Girls’ Singles event in both Chengdu and Taiyuan; one year later she was the runner up in France.

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall