Korea’s Park Mi Young and Japan’s Sayaka Hirano, the respective top
two seeds in the Women’s Singles event at the Japan Open in Wakayama,
booked their places in the final, following success at the penultimate
stage on the morning of Sunday 14th June 2009.
Both progressed in impressive style.
In
five games, Park Mi Young proved too experienced for the host nation’s
19 year old Yuka Ishigaki, seeded no.13, whilst the consistency of
Sayaka Hirano was a major telling point in her defeat of Sun Bei Bei,
the no.3 seed.
A contest between two stalwart defensive artistes saw Park Mi Young
prevail 11-8, 11-4, 10-12, 11-4, 11-2; whilst in the counterpart
semi-final Sayaka Hirano succeeded 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7.
Followed History
The
contest between Park Mi Young and Yuka Ishigaki followed the course of
history; it was the fifth time in international competition that they
had met, it was the fifth time that Park Mi Young had won.
Furthermore,
she has never been extended the full distance by the rising Japanese
star but conversely has never succeeded in straight games.
Previous Duels
In
June 2006, Park Mi Young won in six games in the Women’s Singles event
at the Volkswagen Open Korea, twelve months later she won in five games
at the Volkswagen Open Japan and then in May 2008 by the same margin
once again in Korea.
Meanwhile, in February 2009, the two met
in Doha at the Qatar Open and once again Park Mi Young prevailed; on
this occasion in six games.
Difficult to Predict
The
odds in Wakayama were certainly with Park Mi Young; however the result
of the duel between Sayaka Hirano and Sun Bei Bei was much more
difficult to predict.
It was their third meeting a world ranking event with honours in the previous two being shared.
In
2007 they had met at the Chile Open in April and at the Asian
Championships in September; Sayaka Hirano won the semi-final Women’s
Singles duel in Chile but at the Asian Championships was beaten in the
Women’s Team semi-final duel.
Fourth Time
Defeat
for Sun Bei Bei and it was the fourth time in her career that she has
suffered a Women’s Singles semi-final defeat on the ITTF Pro Tour.
Earlier in the year she lost at the penultimate stage in Germany whilst
in 2007 she suffered the same fate in Brazil and Chile in consecutive
weeks.
Semi-final sadness but she has progressed further; in 2005 she was the runner up in Croatia and in 2007 she won in India.
Second Time
However,
for Yuka Ishigaki, she has never progressed beyond the penultimate
stage and her Women’s Singles semi-final place in Wakayama was only the
second time in her career that she has reached the final day.
The previous occasion was in Brazil on 2007.
Source: www.ittf.com
