A place in the semi-finals of the Junior Girls' Singles event at the Nikon Hong Kong Junior and Cadet Open for Japan Mima Ito and China's Hu Limei as status predicted; that was the result of their efforts on Saturday 10th August 2013.

Both recorded impressive quarter-final victories. 

Mima Ito, the no.1 seed, accounted for colleague Miyu Maeda at the quarter-final stage (11-5, 3-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-9), whilst the defensive skills of Hu Mimei, the no.3 seed, proved too secure for Eka So, also from Japan (11-5, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7).

No Semi-Final Place
However, for the host association's Doo Hoi Kem, the no.2 seed, and Ariel Hsing of the United States, the no.4 seed, there was no penultimate round berth.

Doo Hoi Kem was beaten at the quarter-final stage by China Jang Yue, the no.11 seed (11-7, 14-12, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4); Ariel Hsing suffered one round earlier losing to Chen Xingtong, also from China, the no.9 seed (11-7, 16-14, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10). 

Continued Good Form
Victory over Ariel Hsing, Chen Xingtong continued her good form to reserve her semi-final place.

At the quarter-final stage she beat Japan's Ayane Morita, the no.9 seed (9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10, 12-10).

Three Chinese Players
Thus three Chinese players have progressed to the penultimate round of the Junior Girls' Singles event; in the lower half of the draw Chen Xingtong meets Jiang Yue, in the top half Mima Ito opposes Hu Limei.

Notable Casualties
Similarly in the Cadet Girls' Singles event there were two notable casualties en route to the semi-finals.

Hong Kong's Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the top seed, was beaten in the second round by Chinese Taipei Lee En-Chi, the no.12 seed (11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5). She duly booked her place in the penultimate round courtesy of success against Singapore An Wan Qi, the no.6 seed (11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6).

"I did not much expectation before the match as Soo's ranking is much higher", said Lee En-Chi. "Ijust play with a relaxed mind."

Matters Balanced
A surprise defeat for Hong Kong but there was a surprise success to balance matters; at the quarter-final stage Lee Ka Yee, the no.12 seed, ousted Brazil's Leticia Nakada, the no.4 seed (11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5).

Two upsets but there were no surprises in the counterpart quarter-final Cadet Girls' Singles duels. 

Japan Kana Takeuchi, the no.2 seed, accounted for Chinese Taipei's Lee Yu-Peng, the no.7 seed (11-4, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6) and Hong Kong's Mak Tze Wing, the no.3 seed, defeated Japan's Yuko Kato, the no.5 seed (11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6).

Junior Girls's Doubles Upset
Surprises in the Junior Girls' Singles and Cadet Girls' Singles events; there were also surprises in the Junior Girls' Doubles and Cadet Girls' Doubles competitions.

In the Junior Girls' Doubles event, China's Chen Xingtong and Jiang Yue, the no.5 seeds, accounted for Japan's Hitomi Sato and Eka So, the no.4 seeds, in the quarter-finals (11-9, 11-8, 11-7) and face the top seeded partnership of Japan's Mima Ito and Miyu Maeda, the no.1 seeds, in the semi-finals.

Status Prevails
An upset in the top half of the draw but not in the lower half of proceedings in the Junior Girls' Doubles competition; in the penultimate round Hong Kong's Doo Hoi Kem and Lam Yee Lok, the no.2 seeds, face Japan's Rira Ishikawa and Ayane Morita, the no.3 seeds.

Three Upsets
However, in the Cadet Girls' Doubles competition it is a much different story; of the top four seeded pairings only Hong Kong's Mak Tze Wing and Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the no.1 seeds, have progressed to the semi-finals.

At the quarter-final stage, Brazil's Leticia Nakada and Bruna Takahashi suffered defeat at hands of Chinese Taipei's Chen Ting-Ting and Yen Lin-Chen, the no.6 seeds (11-6, 10-12, 11-2, 11-5); whilst Hong Kong's Vanness Leung Tsz Ching and Li Qi, the no.3 seeds, departed at the hands of Su Peng-Ling and Web Ruei-Ling, also from Chinese Taipei and occupying the no.5 seeded place in the competition.

Su Peng-Ling and Web Ruei-Ling won in four games (8-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-3)

Further Defeat
Defeats for two highly rated pairs, there was defeat for one more and a reverse for the highly successful Chinese Taipei contingent. 

Liang Yu-Chieh and Tsai Yu-Chin experienced a reverse at the hands of the in-form Hong Kong duo of Lee Ka Yee and Leung Ka Wan (11-7, 11-7, 11-9).

Final Association Names Guaranteed
The effect of the results is that a Chinese Taipei versus Hong Kong Cadet Girls' Doubles final is guaranteed.

At the semi-final stage in the top half of the draw, Mak Tze Wing and Minnie Soo Wai Yam meet Lee Ka Yee and Leung Ka Wa; in the lower half, Chen Ting-Ting and Yen Lin-Chen oppose Su PeiLing and Wen Ruei-Ling.

Conclusion
Proceedings conclude on Sunday 11th August 2013.

Article By: ITTF - Ian Marshall

Photo By: Donald Chin