Qualifier Kim moves on amid other local players' defeat

Fifth seed Hwang I-Hsuan was the only seeded player forced to end her journey at “ITF Gimhae International Women’s Circuit” in Gimhae, South Korea on Thursday (June 4, 2009). Hwang from Chinese Taipei was shocked by Xie Yan-Ze of Tianjin, China when 25 years old Xie who was once ranked at WTA 184 defeated her 6-1, 6-4 in second round. In quarterfinals, Xie will clash with top seed Lu Jing-Jing who was pushed all the way by young local wild card and lefty Hong Seung-Yeon into three sets. Eventually, Lu managed to barely beat persistent Hong with 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4) victory.

Also moving into the last eight round was second seed Ryoko Fuda of Japan after she overcame difficulty in second set and sealed 6-1, 7-5 victory over German qualifier Anna Livadaru. Two more seeded players continued on to quarterfinals were fourth seed China’s Han Xinyun who edged past local qualifier Kim Kun-Hee 6-4, 6-1 and sixth seed Zhou Yi-Miao who also cruised past local wild card Yoo Mi 6-3, 6-2.

Meanwhile Indonesian veteran Romania Tedjakusuma made hattrick as finisher in second round after she stumbled to capitalize breakthrough due to her defeat by Aussie Shannon Golds 6-3, 1-6, 0-6. A slight surprise made by local qualifier Kim Na-Ri as she edged past her experienced compatriot Chang Kyung-Mi 6-1, 6-3. Kim is the sole local player through into the last eight round. Currently ranked at WTA 694, 19 years old Kim claimed her revenge over Chang as she had two losses before in the first two meetings in 2008. Kim also made a breakthrough to reach 25K quarterfinals for the very first time. At two of 25K tourneys in Changwon and Gimcheon last April, twice as qualifier, Kim only finished in second round.

In doubles’ quarterfinals, two seeded pairs crashed out while the other two seeded duets still advanced into semi-finals. Second seed pair Han Xinyun/Ji Chunmei of China shocked by local duo Chang Kyung-Mi/Lee Jin-A and lost 6-2, 0-6, 10-12. Then fourth seed duo Chen Yi/Ryoko Fuda (Chinese Taipei/Japan) bowed out to China’s Liang Chen/Sun Sheng-Nan 1-6, 6-4, 7-10. Meanwhile top seed pair Hwang I-Hsuan/Zhang Ling (Chinese Taipei/Hong Kong) breezed past Thai duet Sophia Mulsap/Nungnadda Wannasuk 6-1, 6-2, followed by third seed duo Yayuk Basuki/Romana Tedjakusuma who saw-off duet of Kao Shao-Yuan/Zhou Yi-Miao (Chinese Taipei/China) 6-1, 6-3.

Singles – 2nd round results

1-Lu Jing-Jing (CHN) d. WC-Hong Seung-Yeon (KOR) 62 46 76(4)
Xie Yan-Ze (CHN) d. 5-Hwang I-Hsuan (TPE) 61 64

4-Han Xinyun (CHN) d. Q-Kim Kun-Hee (KOR) 64 61
Lena Litvak (USA) d. Q-Chen Yi (TPE) 62 61

6-Zhou Yi-Miao (CHN) d. WC-Yoo Mi (KOR) 63 62
Shannon Golds (AUS) d. Romana Tedjakusuma (INA) 36 61 60

Q-Kim Na-Ri (KOR) d. Chang Kyung-Mi (KOR) 61 63
2-Ryoko Fuda (JPN) d. Q-Anna Livadaru (GER) 61 75

Doubles – QF results

(1) Hwang I-Hsuan/Zhang Ling (TPE/HKG) d. Sophia Mulsap/Nungnadda Wannasuk (THA) 61 62
(3) Yayuk Basuki/Romana Tedjakusuma (INA) d. Kao Shao-Yuan/Zhou Yi-Miao (TPE/CHN) 61 63
Liang Chen/Sun Sheng-Nan (CHN) d. (4) Chen Yi/Ryoko Fuda (TPE/JPN) 61 46 10-7
Chang Kyung-Mi/Lee Jin-A (KOR) d. (2) Han Xinyun/Ji Chunmei (CHN) 26 60 12-10