Ng Wing Nam Responds, Top Seed Secures Semi-Final Place

A response was required, a response was afforded; Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Nam, the top seed in the Under 21 Women’s Singles event at the US$ 1,000,000 GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals needed to record a victory in her concluding first stage group in order to secure her place in the semi-finals.

On the afternoon of Thursday 9^th January 2014, she responded keeping her nerve and her focus to overcome the hitherto unbeaten Singaporean, Lin Ye in a tense seven games duel (11-2, 8-11, 11-9, 15-13, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7).

The result created a quite unusual situation; at the end of the group phase of proceedings; not one of the eight players on duty in the Under 21 Women’s Singles event remained unbeaten.

Earlier in the day, Ng Wing Nam had suffered defeat against Austria’s Sofia Polcanova in six games (9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8), before recovering to beat Japan’s Shiho Matsudaira in a close seven games duel (11-6, 2-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-5, 12-14, 11-4).

Meanwhile, Lin Ye had overcome Shiho Matsudaira in five games (11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-3) and more pertinently had defeated Sofia Polcanova my a similar margin (11-8, 11-5, 11-7, 12-14, 11-6).

In her concluding match, Sofia Polcanova accounted for the luckless Shiho Matsudaira in sixth games (11-5, 11-4, 11-6, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7); thus Ng Wing Nam, Lin Ye and Sofia Polcanova finished with two wins apiece.

Therefore, games ratio between the three players with two wins in the group determined the outcome. First place went to Lin Ye (7:5), second position to Ng Wing Nam (6:7) with Sofia Polcanova (5:7) in third place and the player to miss out.

 “The first match today felt like a practice session”, said Ng Wing Nam. “It was really difficult for me against Sofia Polcanova, she is left handed and we don’t have any left handers in the Hong Kong Team.”

Problems with returning service, against both Shiho Matsudaira and Lin Ye, the service proved a vital element.

“It was really difficult returning service against Shiho”, added Ng Wing Nam. “Against Lin Ye in the seventh game I changed my services and that made the difference.

Penultimate round places for Lin Ye and Ng Wing Nam; in the corresponding group the first two positions were reserved by Korea’s Yang Haeun and Japan’s Yui Hamamoto.

Entering the concluding series of matches in the group, all four players had one win and one defeat against their names.

In the decisive duels, Yui Hamamoto beat Germany’s Petrissa Solja (11-7, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9), whilst Yang Haeun defeated Hong Kong’s Lee Ho Ching (11-6, 11-2, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9).

Two players level it is the result of the match between those in question which counts; first place in the group went to Yang Haeun who had beaten Yui Hamamoto earlier in the day (11-7, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8); third place was the lot of Lee Ho Ching, she had overcome Petrissa Solja (11-6, 11-8, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8).

Somewhat ironically, for Petrissa Solja, who had beaten Yang Haeun in the opening match in the group (12-10, 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6); a day that had started with so much promise ended in disappointment.

In the penultimate round Lin Ye meets Yui Hamamoto, Ng Wing Nam meets Yang Haeun.

Video Interview : Listen to what NG Wing Nam (HKG ) had to say after securing her place in the women's under 21 GAC Group 2013 World Tour Grand Final semi final in Dubai.

Article by : ITTF - Ian Marshall
Photo by : Jacques Martinos / ITTF