Croatian's Fine Form Continues

Tamara BOROS, currently the highest ranked European female player

Zhou Xin, Xinhua News Agency, China & Ian Marshall
Photo by: Xin Zhou
XIAOSHAN, Zhejiang Province, Oct. 27 --
Croatia’s Tamara BOROS, currently the highest ranked European female player on the ITTF Women’s World Ranking list, started the first day of play in the Bosideng Multiglory Women’s World Cup in Xiaoshen, by beating the reigning European champion, Otilia BADESCU of Romania.

The result undoubtedly gave her confidence for in the evening session of play she beat the player ranked five places higher in than her in the World Rankings, the World number three, NIU Jianfeng of China.

Tamara BOROS ended the opening day's play unbeaten
The result undoubtedly gave her confidence for in the evening session of play she beat the player ranked five places higher in than her in the World Rankings, the World number three, NIU Jianfeng of China.

Winner of the Volkswagen Grand Finals last year and the reigning Asian champion, NIU Jianfeng was beaten in four straight games 11-9, 12-10, 11-4, 11-8; the Croatian’s powerful topspin play proving the dominant factor.

`I wasn't in my best form but I felt NIU Jianfeng was in an even worse form; it was important that I won the first two games’, said BOROS. `I became more confident and started play in a more relaxed way.’

`I‘m in a tough group together with NIU Jianfeng, LAU Sui Fei and Otilia BADESCU’, she added. `What I expect in the World Cup is to play step by step and to win point by point.’ The victory almost guarantees BOROS a place I the quarter-finals whilst for NIU Jianfeng, the runner up last year, the chances of repeat appearance in the second stage have all but evaporated.

NIU Jianfeng lost her first match of the day to Hong Kong’s LAU Sui Fei, who in the evening session of play was beaten by Otilia BADESCU, and even if the Chinese star beats Otilia BADESCU her fate relies on the result of the Tamara BOROS versus LAU Sui Fei encounter.

Meanwhile, the Olympic champion recorded her second win of the day beating Singapore’s LI Jia Wei as did GAO Jun of the USA and Viktoria PAVLOVICH of Belarus; the former beat the Dominican Republic’s WU Xue whilst the latter’s defensive skills proved too consistent for Nigeria’s Funke OSHONAIKE.

http://www.ittf.com/Protour_new/Stories_detail.asp?ID=6550&PT_Title=&s_Year=&

Formatted for CROWN by Nenad Bach

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