ITTF World Tour Chile Open - 2 More Golds, 3 in Total

Yang Zi, the Doubles Specialist

Singapore male paddlers had a very successful outing this week, claiming all the Gold Medals in the 2012 GAC Group World Tour Chile Open. Chen Feng won the U21 Men's Singles Gold, Yang Zi and Zhan Jian won the Men's Doubles Gold and Gao Ning won the Men's Singles Gold!

In the Finals, Yang Zi and Zhan Jian was trailing 1-2. They held their nerves and imposed their authority on proceedings. They won the next three to secure the Doubles Crown. They won 11-7, 8-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4.

Gao Ning on the other hand had an easier time against his Japanese opponents. He took the first set 12-10, lost the second 7-11. But since then, he never looked back. He took the next three 11-6, 11-4, 11-6.

In the Women's Singles Finals, Li Jiawei was unable to find any weakness in South Korea's Kim Kyung Ah solid defense. She faltered in four straight sets 4-11, 9-11, 13-15, 6-11.

Nevertheless, this is considered one of Singapore's best outing this year. The team will be heading to South Korea later this month to fight for more ranking points.

ITTF World Tour Chile Open - More Medals, Best Outing

Chen Feng, Winner of the U21 Men's Singles

The 2012 GAC Group ITTF World Tour Chile Open may be Singapore's best outing this year. Chen Feng brought home the Republic's first Gold Medal in the U21 Men's Singles Event. Gao Ning and Li Hu, Li Jiawei and Sun Beibei pocketed the Bronze in the Men's and Women's Doubles Event respectively. Li and Sun are also in the Semi Finals of the Women's Singles Event. Yang Zi and Zhan Jian are into the Finals of the Men's Doubles Event, while Gao Ning and Zhan are also in the Semi Finals of the Men's Singles Event.

However for Singapore's former top female paddler Feng Tianwei, it was a quarter finals exit. The top seed lost to South Korea's Yang Ha Eun 2-4. Both Li and Sun defeated Japan's Fujii Hiroko and USA's Zheng Jiaqi respectively in five games. Li Jiawei will face Sun Beibei in the Semi Finals.

Meanwhile in the Men's Singles, Gao Ning ousted Germany's Mengel Steffen and Zhan Jian beat Japan's Matsudaira Kenji. Both won in six games. Zhan Jian, together with Yang Zi, defeated Japan's Matsudaira Kenji and Mizutani Jun to book a place in the finals of the Men's Doubles Event. Yang and Zhan will face South Korea's Kim Dong Hyun and Lee Jung Woo in the finals. Kim and Lee beat Gao Ning and Li Hu 2-4 in the Semi Finals.

ITTF World Tour Chile Open - Li Hu's Poor Form Continues

Li Hu not in his best lately

23 years old Li Hu continues his poor form losing to Brazil’s Cazuo Matsumoto in the second round of competition. Li Hu was been crushing out earlier than expected in recent competitions. Earlier this year, Li Hu crashed out in the 1st round of the Men Singles event in Qatar, losing to lower ranked players. In this month's Asian Cup, he finished 13th despite being seeded no. 6.

Yang Zi and Chen Feng also faltered in the second round. Yang Zi lost to Germany's Mengel Steffen 2-11, 9-11, 11-8, 10-12, 7-11 and Chen Feng lost to Germany's Filus Ruwen 9-11, 11-7, 3-11, 10-12, 6-11.

However, Olympic bound Gao Ning and Zhan Jian enjoyed successes. Both of them are through to the Quarter Finals. Zhan Jian defeated Germany's Franziska Patrick 11-9, 12-10, 15-13, 11-5 while Gao Ning beat South Korea's Kim Dong Hyun 11-13, 11-7, 11-6, 11-1, 13-11.

There were further success in the Men's Doubles Event. All three of the Men Doubles made it through to the second round. Top Seed Yang Zi / Zhan Jian crashed Argentina's Cillis Javier / Tabachnik Pablo 11-9, 11-7, 11-6. Chen Feng and Wu Zhikang defeated Brazil's Hoyama Hugo / Monteiro Thiago 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 13-11. Gao Ning and Li Hu beat Brazil's Manhani Humberto / Toma Danilo 11-5, 11-1, 11-7.

Later today, Gao Ning and Zhan Jian will face Germany's Mengel Steffen and Japan's Masudaira Kenji respectively. Yang Zi / Zhan Jian will take on Japan's Kasahara Hiromitsu / Kato Yoshiyuki. Chen Feng / Wu Zhikang and Gao Ning / Li Hu will battle it out against each other.

ITTF World Tour Chile Open - Li and Sun into the Semi Finals of the Women Doubles

Sun Beibei returning a ball to her opponent

Singapore's Li Jiawei and Sun Beibei made it through to the Semi Finals of the Women Doubles event ater defeating America's Wu Yue and Zheng Jiaqi. Wu Yue and Zheng Jiaqi may not be ranked as high as Jiawei and Beibei, but they certainly caused the Singaporeans duo many problems. Li and Sun had to crawl back from 0-1 down to win by the narrowest margin of 7 games. The Singaporeans won 2-11, 11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 11-3, 4-11, 11-2.

Meanwhile luck was not in favour of Feng Tianwei and Yu Mengyu. They lost 4-3 to Japan's Fukuhara Ai and Morizono Misaki. Tianwei and Mengyu were leading 2-1 after the 3rd set and 3-2 after the 5th set. But the Japanese managed to overturn. Feng and Yu lost 12-14, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 5-11, 8-11.

Our female paddlers also enjoyed success in the Women Singles event with 3 of the 4 players reaching the Quarter Finals. Yu Mengyu was the sole casualty. She lost to third seeds, Japan's Fukuhara Ai 4-11, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 5-11, 5-11 in the second round.

Top Seed Feng Tianwei was in unforgiving mood. She defeated Japan's defensive player Ishigaki Yuka 11-9, 8-11, 11-4, 12-14, 11-5, 14-12. Li Jiawei and Sun Beibei crashed Poland's Stefanska Kinga and South Korea's Dang Ye Seo respectively. Li won 11-7, 11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5. Sun won 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3.

Li Jiawei / Sun Beibei will face Japan's Ishigaki Yuka / Yamanashi Yuri in the Semi Finals tomorrow. Feng Tianwei, Li Jiawei and Sun Beibei will take on South Korea's Yang Ha Eun, Japan's Fujii Hiroko and America's Zheng Jiaqi respectively in the Quarter Finals tomorrow.

2012 ITTF New Zealand Junior & Cadet Open - Triple Gold for Isabelle

Isabelle Li collected her 8th Junior Title

Singapore's Li Siyun Isabelle bagged all 3 Gold Medals in the 3 events she participated in the 2012 ITTF New Zealand Junior & Cadet Open.

Li, together with Hong Kong's Lam Yee Lok, took home the Junior Girls' Team Title on the 2nd day of proceedings. They defeated teams from Australia and New Zealand to crown Champions. On the last day, Li paired with Lam in the Junior Girls' Doubles Event to beat Australia's Forster Eliza and Malaysia's Samantha Ong 3-0. Li continued her good form in the Junior Girls' Singles Finals beating her partner Lam 4-0, thus pocketing 3 golds. Notably, Li did not drop a single set in all 3 events.

Not to be outshine by his female counterparts, Chew Zheyu Clarence took home the Junior Boys' Singles title defeating third seeds Thailand’s Max Poungsri. Chew was stretched to the full 7 games, winning 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-5.

The Junior paddlers will be heading to Thailand next month to compete in the Thailand Junior and Cadet Open.

ITTF World Tour Spanish Open - Silver for Yang & Zhan

Zhan Jian serving to his opponents

Doubles specialist Yang Zi and Zhan Jian had to settle for Silver after losing out to Japan's Matsudaira Kenji / Mizutani Jun.

It was Japan that made the better start. They took the first 2 sets 4-11, 5-11. Yang and Zhan adjusted. They took the third set 11-7, but lost the fourth 9-11. They came back again to take the fifth set but lost the critical sixth set 11-7, 12-14.

Team Singapore will be heading to Chile next week to grab more ranking points.

ITTF World Tour Spanish Open - Singapore Women Paddlers Continue Poor Form

Feng Tianwei no match against Shen Yanfei

Having lost in the doubles event and Sun Beibei's upset by lower ranked players, the female paddlers continued their poor form in day four of the competition. Feng Tianwei and Li Jiawei lost to lower ranked opponents while Yu Mengyu suffered against Japan's Fukuhara Ai. In the round of 16, Tianwei enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 win over Japan's Fujii Hiroko 7-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-5, 11-4. However, Jiawei and Mengyu suffered defeats. Jiawei lost to the left handed Makamiya Misako by the narrowest margin 7-11, 11-4, 9-11, 14-16, 11-7, 11-8, 9-11. Mengyu was beaten by Japan's Fukuhara Ai in straight games 5-11, 6-11, 5-11, 9-11.

 In the Quarter Finals, Tianwei lost to host nation's Shen Yanfei. Tianwei was leading 3-2 before Shen turned the tables around and won. Tianwei lost 8-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11.

Meanwhile our Men's Team enjoyed better fortunes. Yang Zi / Zhan Jian are into the finals of the the men's doubles event. Both Gao Ning and Zhan Jian also made it to the Quarter Finals before losing to higher ranked opponents.

In the Quarter Finals, Gao Ning lost to Belarus' Samsonov Vladimir 0-4 and Zhan Jian lost to Chinese Taipei's Chuang Chih-Yuan.

Yang Zi / Zhan Jian will face Japan's Matsudaira Kenji / Mizutani Jun in the finals tomorrow.