By Yvonne Yap/Red Sports. Photos by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports.
China’s Cheng Jingqi (Under-15 World No. 3) with a forehand shot in the mixed team event against DPR Korea. “The greatest competitor is myself,” he said, when asked who would be his greatest rival in the Asian Youth Games. (Photo 1 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
After 2 days of Asian Youth Games Table Tennis mixed team competition, the group matches have already come to a close. Starting tomorrow, the top 2 teams from each group will be playing off in the quarter and semi-finals.
China, Chinese Taipei, The Republic of Korea and hosts Singapore won all 4 matches to top groups A, B, C and D respectively, while DPR Korea, Japan, India and Hong Kong finished behind them in second place.
The quarter-finals will begin at 9am tomorrow. Singapore will play against India in a bid to progress to the semi-finals.
China will be meeting Group B runners-up Japan. The winner of this quarter-final will meet the winner of the Singapore-India match.
DPR Korea will play their geographical neighbours, the People’s Republic of Korea, while Hong Kong takes on Chinese Taipei. The winners of these 2 quarter-finals will face off in the other semi-final.
North Korea’s Kim Jin Su and Kim Song I giving China a run for their money as they took the mixed doubles match to 5 sets. China eventually showed why they are the hot favourites in this Games as they won 11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5. China’s mixed team was made to work for their 3-0 win against DPR Korea. (Photo 2 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Japan’s Rika Suzuki pushing the ball across the net to Chinese Taipei’s Hung Tzu-Hsiang, who prepares to return it. Even though Japan won this match 12-10, 11-7, 11-8, they had lost the first 2 singles matches, handing Taipei a 2-1 win and the top spot in Group B. (Photo 3 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Japan’s Asuka Machi, ranked 11th, returning the ball to Taipei players while Rika, ranked 19th, covers him. The duo lost to Taipei even though Hung Tzu-Hsiang is ranked 25th and Chin Hsiao-Chun is unseeded. Japan won all their other matches against Maldives, Sri Lanka and Macau with ease in straight matches. (Photo 4 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
South Korea’s Kim Dong Hyun in action against Turkmenistan’s Andrey Milovanov. The world No. 9 won the match 11-6, 11-8, 11-8, assisting South Korea in their 3-0 win over Turkmenistan. The Republic of Korea joined China, Chinese Taipei and Singapore as the only teams to have won all their group matches. (Photo 5 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
India’s Bhandarkar Mallika Srirang who swept aside her competition in Day 1 was no match for the quick and agile Yang Haeun of South Korea. Yang is ranked 2nd whereas Bhandarkar is ranked 26th. The Korean won 11-6, 11-4, 11-4. Korea won the matches against India 3-0, making them the champions of Group C. (Photo 6 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Hosts Singapore progressed into the next round after winning all their matches. “I am excited and happy,” Isabelle beamed after their victory over Hong Kong.(Photo 7 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Hong Kong’s Li Ching Wan returning Singapore’s shot. The determined Hong Kong duo of Ching Wan and Chiu Chung Hai were set on sealing a 2-1 win over Singapore, after Isabelle won the Girls’ Singles and Chung Hai won the Boy’s Singles. However, that never happened as Clarence and Isabelle rode on home ground support to propel Singapore to the top of Group D. (Photo 8 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
15 year olds Roka Pradip preparing to return Singapore’s shot while his partner Elina Maharajan looks on. “We trained together for 1 month before this, but we have been in the same school for a few years already,” said Elina. Both of them are from Bijeswori Secondary Boarding School in Nepal. The duo put up a good fight against Isabelle and Clarence but lost out 5-11, 4-11, 4-11. (Photo 9 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
In the mixed doubles, Kuwait’s Alammar KH F Maha returns the shot as Philippines Val Stephen Jaca prepares to receive it. Stephen and his teammate, Elonna Dane Tormis, hail from Cebu while his mixed doubles partner, Ian Lariba is from Cagayan de Oro City. “I have been to Singapore 4 times already, and I like it here,” exclaimed Ian when asked about Singapore. Philippines won Kuwait 2-1 in their clash. The 2 countries, which are also in Singapore’s group, have been knocked out. (Photo 10 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Leave A Comment