Wang Yuegu wins thrilling Ladies Singles Quarter Final

Wang Yuegu, the World no. nine and a member of the Singapore team who stunned China by winning the World Team Championships in 2010 stole the show in the Ladies Singles Quarter Finals of the ITTF Pro Tour. In a match of high drama and sustained brilliance she led top seed and World no. three Guo Yan 10-6 in the seventh end only for Guo to win the next four points – the rally at 10-6 being as good as you will see anywhere.  At 11-10 down Wang’s chance looked to have gone but keeping her composure when most people would have wanted to scream she recovered to win what had been an enthralling contest 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 5-11, 8-11, 11-7, 13-11.

If she is to progress to the Final Wang Yuegu will know she will have to play at the same level again. She will meet the World no. five and the fourth seed here- Liu Shiwen (China). The  Runner-Up in the 2004 World Junior Championships at the tender age of 13, Liu Shiwen beat her team-mate – the equally prodigious Guo Yue (the 2007 World Champion and a Pro Tour Ladies Doubles winner at the age of 13) over six ends – 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8.

The other semi-final will be an all Chinese affair. Li Xiaoxia, perhaps the least well known of the Chinese Super stars (despite currently being ranked no. two in the World) always looked the more likely winner against World no. four Feng Tianwei (Singapore) and she ran out a 4-1 winner  (11-8, 2-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7).

Li Xiaoxia will meet the lady she lost to in a superb  2011 World Championships Ladies Singles Final – the current World no. one Ding Ning. All-action Ding Ning sailed through the first three games against Kasumi Ishikawa and although the slight Japanese girl came really close to pinching the fourth end Ding Ning reasserted herself at the end. Ding Ning won 11-4, 11-6, 11-5, 13-11.

Steve Kerns