Romania's Bernadette Szocs, who celebrated her thirteenth birthday on 5th March, was the player to excel on Friday 14th March 2008 in the female events at the Doha Junior Open in Qatar.
She was in inspired form reaching the semi-final stage of the Junior Girls’ Singles, Cadet Girls’ Singles events and Cadet Girls’ Doubles events.
In the Junior Girls’ Singles competition, she beat Ala Shakun of Belarus before recovering from a three games to one deficit to overcome Korea’s Kim A Young.
The feat must make one of the youngest, if not the youngest, semi-finalist in a Junior Girls’ Singles event in the history of the ITTF Junior Circuit.
Meanwhile, in the counterpart cadet event she overcame Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Yee to book her place in the last four.
Foto de Adel Hakouz
Mixed Fortunes
Success for Bernadette Szocs but for her colleagues Cristina Hirici and Camelia Postoaca it was mixed fortunes in the Junior Girls’ Singles event.
It was good news for Cristina Hirici, the winner of the Girls’ Singles event at the Joola German Junior Open in January but for Camelia Postoaca, who won one week ago in Bahrain, it was disappointment.
Seeded one, Cristina Hirici overcame Korea’s Cheon Se Eun and India’s Mallika Bhandarkar to reserve her place in the semi-finals but for Camelia Postoaca, it was an opening round defeat. She lost to Korea’s Lee Pil Rang.
Guaranteed
Victories for Cristina Hirici and Bernadette Szocs in the Junior Girls’ Singles event guarantees Romania a place in the final; the two meet at the penultimate stage in the top half of the draw.
Meanwhile, in the lower half the two players who will contest a place in the final are Hong Kong’s Lee Ho Ching and Alena Dubkova of Belarus.
Alena Dubkova overcame Romania’s Andrea Dospina and Korea’s Ban Ji Ae on the fourth day of play, whilst Lee Ho Ching ended the hopes of Egypt’s Galilah Nasser and Korea’s Li Pil Rang, the conqueror of Camelia Postoaca.
Doubles Place Reserved
A place in the semi-finals of the Junior Girls’ Singles event for Cristina Hirici and Lee Ho Ching and also in the Junior Girls’ Doubles competition.
Partnering Anamaria Sebe, Cristina Hirici booked her last four place with victory over Bang Ji Ae and Cheon Se Eun whilst Lee Ho Ching partnered Ng Wing Nam to a last eight win over Egypt’s Reem El-Shoubary and Noha Yossry.
Semi-Finalists
At the semi-final stage, Cristina Hirici and Anamaria Sebe meet Alena Dubkova and Ala Shakun who ousted fourth seeds, Singapore’s Isabelle Li and Zena Sim in the quarters whilst Lee Ho Ching and Ng Wing Nam confront second seeds, Andrea Dospina and Camelia Postoaca.
In the semis Andrea Dospina and Camelia Postoaca overcame Koreans Kim A Young and Li Pil Rang.
Korean Success
A reverse for Korea in the Junior Girls’ Doubles but there was success in the Cadet Girls’ Singles.
Bang Ji beat top seed, Singapore’s Isabelle Li to reach the penultimate stage where she meets compatriot Cheon Se Eun, who recorded a last eight win over the impressive Galilah Nasser of Egypt.
Egypt Versus Romania
Two Koreans in the top half of the draw; that is the scenario, whilst in the lower half it is Egypt versus Romania. Nadeen El Dawlatly, who recorded a quarter-final win over Yana Drykina of Belarus, faces second seed Bernadette Szocs.
Bernadette Szocs also features in the Cadet Girls’ Doubles; in liaison with Andreea Rosca Caleonescu the pair received a bye at the quarter-final stage to book their last four berth where they meet Katsiaryna Baravok and Tana Drykina of Belarus.
Africa Versus Asia
An all European clash in the top half of the draw, whilst in the lower half it is Africa versus Asia.
Egypt’s Nadeen El Dawlatly and Galilah Nasser confront India’s Mallika Bhandarkar and Shweta Parte.
Articol publicat de Ian Marshall pe pagina oficiala a Federatiei Internationale de Tenis de Masa, www.ittf.com.