Egypt’s Dina Meshref and Korea’s Shim Se Rom were the players to
upset the seeding in the opening round of the Women’s Singles event at
the Morocco Open Hassan II in Rabat on Wednesday 8th July 2009.
Teenager
Meshref overcame seventh seeded Russian, Irina Ermakova; whilst Shim Se
Rom defeated Lorine Brunet of France, the no.8 seed.
Meshref won
a hard fought seven games duel by the margin of 3-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7,
11-4, 7-11, 11-8; whilst the fast attacking left hander, Shim Se Rom
succeeded in more convincing style.
She succeeded 11-9, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7.
No Problems
Defeat for two of the top eight players in the Women’s Singles event but no problems or moments of drama for the others.
Japan’s
Ai Fukuhara, seeded no.1, defeated the host nation’s Imane Aouinati in
four straight games whilst second seed, Korea’s Seok Ha Jung, ended the
hopes of Egypt’s Sara El-Sokary in five games.
Third and Fourth Seeds Succeed
Similarly,
there were no great problems for Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa and Korea’s
Kim Jung Hyun, the respective no.3 and no.4 seeded players.
The
former beat Lee Hye Lin, like Kim Jung Hyun from Korea, in four
straight games whilst with the loss of only one game, Kim Jung Hyun
ousted Japan’s Saki Tashiro.
Safe Passage
Meanwhile,
in the remaining matches; Kim Jung Hyun’s compatriot, Park Seong Hye,
seeded no.5, defeated Egypt’s Galila Nasser in four straight games
whilst by the same margin, Bacent Osman, seeded no.6, overcame Russia’s
Viktoriya Lobacheva.
Close Call
Meanwhile,
in the Women’s Doubles event the leading pairs all booked quarter-final
places; the closest call being that experienced by South Africa’s
Sameera Maal and Khanyisile Madlala. Seeded no.7, they were extended
the full seven games distance by Morocco’s Imane Aounati and Mounia
Bataoui.
Comfortable Journey
However,
for top seeds, Japan’s Ai Fukuhara and Kasumi Ishikawa it was a day
without needing to raise a racket in anger, the pair receiving bye to
the quarter-finals whilst for second seeds, Korea’s Kim Jung Hyun and
Seok Ha Jung it was a comfortable opening round experience.
They overcame Morocco’s Hoda Kershany and Miriam Khyati in four straight games.
Source: www.ittf.com
