Deja vu for Webley-Smith as she crashes out

Top seed Emily Webley-Smith from Great Britain suffered another defeat and it got worst as she lost to Jessica Yang Zi-Jun of Hong Kong in the opening round at "Tarakan Mayor Women's Open 2009" in Tarakan, East Kalimantan today (May 6, 2009). 19 years old Yang indeed created the biggest shock of the day after she was down 0-6 in the first set, then she fought back to claim 6-1, 6-3 victory over experienced Webley-Smith. Last week in Balikpapan 25K, also as top seed Webley-Smith fell in the second round.

Another casualty was fourth seed Zhang Ling of Hong Kong who bowed out to German qualifier Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic 0-6, 4-6. 16 years old lefty Sekulic started her pro career in early August, 2006 and so far, her best result was up to second round at Versmold 10K in Germany last August.

Other seeds still advancing into second round such as third seed Brazilian Vivian Segnini who faced stiff challenge from South Korean Han Sung-Hee but Segnini prevailed to win 7-6(3), 6-4. Then fifth seed Slovenian Tadeja Majeric experienced slight difficulty in the second set but in the end she edged past local wild card Laili Rahmawati Ulfa 6-0, 7-5. Meanwhile seventh seed Isha Lakhani of India had to work extra in earning her triumph over German qualifier Anna Livadaru 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.

Still fresh from winning title of Balikpapan 25K, Balinese Ayu Fani Damayanti cruised past Japanese Ai Yamamoto 6-4, 6-3. In the next round, Damayanti will clash with second seed Stefania Boffa from Switzerland.

In doubles' quarterfinals, the only seeded pair left continued to mrach into semi-finals. Second seed duo Yurina Koshino/Erika Sema survived the scare and defeated qualifier Yang Zi-Jun/Zhang Ling of Hong Kong 7-6(7), 2-6, 10-7. In the last four round, duet Koshino/Sema will play against qualifier Lu Jia-Xiang/Yang Yi from China after Lu/Yang came from behind to beat Thai duet, Sophia Mulsap/Kanyapat Narattana 4-6, 6-1, 10-8. Meanwhile the only local duet still left, Beatrice Gumulya/Jessy Rompies after they ousted Chinese duo, Hao Jie/Zheng Jun-Yi 7-5, 6-4. In semi-finals, Gumulya/Rompies will face Reka-Luca Jani/Lu Jia-Jing (Hungary/China). In today's last eight round, Jani/Lu eased past local wild card duo Cynthia Melita/Laili Rahmawati Ulfa 6-3, 6-3.

Other 1st round results - Singles
(Q) Kaori Onishi (JPN) d. (WC) Cynthia Melita (INA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
(Q) Kim Kun-Hee (KOR) d. (Q) Sophia Mulsap 6-4, 6-2
Hao Jie (CHN) d. (Q) Li Wanrong (CHN) 6-4, 6-4
(Q) Tian Ran (CHN) d. Lu Jia-Jing (CHN) 6-4, 7-6(5)
(Q) Yang Yi (CHN) d. Yurina Koshino (JPN) 6-3, 6-3
Erika Sema (JPN) d. Anna Fitzpatrick (GBR) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4