Sunday, June 14, 2009
11:55 PM
ITTF Pro Tour Japan Open - Bronze for Sun Bei Bei
Sun Bei Bei had to settle for Bronze after losing to host nation's Hirano Sayaka. The consistency of Sayaka Hirano was a major telling point in her victory. Sun Bei Bei lost 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7. It was their third meeting in a world ranking event with honours in the previous two being shared. In 2007 they had met at the Chile Open in April and at the Asian Championships in September; Sayaka Hirano won the semi-final Women’s Singles duel in Chile but at the Asian Championships was beaten in the Women’s Team semi-final duel.

Defeat for Sun Bei Bei and it was the fourth time in her career that she has suffered a Women’s Singles semi-final defeat on the ITTF Pro Tour. Earlier in the year she lost at the penultimate stage in Germany whilst in 2007 she suffered the same fate in Brazil and Chile in consecutive weeks. Semi-final sadness but she has progressed further; in 2005 she was the runner up in Croatia and in 2007 she won in India.




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