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Italian Open Update

Friday, May 3, 2002

ITTF Press Release:

Courmayeur, Italy, 3 May 2002. The first round of the women’s singles at the Italian Open was without any big surprises. The only seeded player who lost was Elke WOSIK (GER) who had to surrender to Helena HALAS (SLO) after a thriller. WOSIK was up 2-0 and 3-1, but HALAS came back to 3-3 and won the 7th game easily 11-5.

Top seed Tamara BOROS (CRO) played a good and close match against Peggy REGENWETTER (LUX). BOROS won 4-1 but the last two games were very close with the Croatian winning 17-15, 11-9.

The 2nd seeded RYU Ji Hye (KOR) was challenged by a well playing Kumi IMAFUKU (JPN), but every time a game is at 10-10 RYU shows her experience. Also against IMAFUKU she stayed cool and won the close games.

The 3rd and 4th seeded Mihaela STEFF (ROM) and LIN Ling (HKG) both won their first matches easily.

Steff in Trouble

Courmayeur, Italy, 3 May 2002. Mihaela STEFF (ROM) was the first of the favourites in the women’s singles to be really challenged. In the 2nd round STEFF met Korean WONG Young Ah and the Romanian had to play at her best to survive.

STEFF lost the 1st game and she was on the edge in the 2nd. She took it home though, and when she won the 3rd game 11-0 the match seemed to be over.

WONG however did not give up and she evened to 2-2. The next game was close as well, but again STEFF put some extra speed in her game and after winning the 5th it was an easy walk home for the Romanian.

Top seed Tamara BOROS (CRO) lost a single game against Solene LEGAY (FRA) but her victory was never really in danger.

With RYU (KOR) and LIN Ling (HKG) through to the third round as well everything is still “following schedule” in women’s singles.

Everything is Open

Courmayeur, Italy, 2 May 2002. With Jean-Michel SAIVE cancelling his participation in the Italian Open CHIANG Peng-Lung (TPE) is now the favourite in Courmayeur. CHIANG is seeded to meet his compatriot CHUAN Chi-Yuan in the final.

CHUAN is still young and still without any Pro Tour titles, but this might be his chance. He has overcome his higher ranked compatriot CHIANG Peng-Lung before and for sure CHUAN learned something from his first Pro Tour final in Qatar where he recently lost to Jean-Michel SAIVE.

However there is a bumpy way to the final for both CHIANG and CHUAN. CHUAN already in the round of the last 16 runs into the former World Champion Jean.Philippe GATIEN (FRA). GATIEN has been a seldom guest at the Pro Tour during the last year, but he is still a world class player.

CHIANG Peng-Lung is planned to meet Swede Fredrik Hakansson in the quarter finals and then the 4th seeded Trinko KEEN (NED).

Outsiders? Last years European Champion Peter KARLSSON and French hard hitter Damien ELOI can still beat anybody on a good day.

In women’s singles top seed Tamara BOROS (CRO) is planned to meet LIN Ling (HKG) in the semi-finals but before that LI Jia Wei (SIN) might cause trouble for the Croatian.

The obstacles for 2nd seed RYU ji Hye (KOR) might be LAU Sui Fei (HKG) and Japanese An KONISHI.

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All Favourites Survive

Steff in Trouble

Everything is Open

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