Top seeds ease into last eight

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BACK TO SENDER: Pai Ya Yun of Chinese Taipei returns a forehand shot to Malaysia’s Loo Shi Pei in the Group C match of the Asia-Oceania Final Qualifying World Junior Team Girls at Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association Tennis Centre yesterday. Pai won 6-4, 6-1. — Photo by Teo Chi Wei

KUCHING: Australia breezed into the quarterfinals of the Asia-Oceania Final Qualifying World Junior Team Girls after registering their third consecutive win in Group A.

The top seeds had few problems in beating fifth seeds Thailand 3-0 to top the group table with three points.

Seone Mendez led the way for the Aussies when she beat Priyachanok Sukkanha 6-2, 6-1 in the first singles.

In the second singles, Aiava Destanee was up to the mark as she disposed of Yinglak Jittakoat 6-3, 6-0 while Jaimee Fourlis and Seone Mandez wrapped up the victory by defeating Pichayatida Jandaeng and Yinglak Jittakoat 6-4, 2-1 (retired) in the doubles.

Joining Australia and Thailand in the last eight were Indonesia who edged Kazakhstan 2-1 in the final round of the group matches.

Faiza Salsabila Nurhayati put Indonesia 1-0 ahead when she beat Adelaida Allakhverdyieva 6-3, 6-1 in the first singles.

However, Kamilla Bolatova got the Kazakhs on level terms as she defeated Novela Reza M Putriasari 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(2).

Novela and Faiza saved the day for the Indonesians when they beat Kamilla and Zhibek Kulambayeva 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Japan, who were seeded second in the tournament, were also too good for seventh seeds Philippines, winning 3-0 to collect three points to top Group B.

Despite the loss, Philippines still made the cut for the last eight as they had two points from two wins and one defeat.

Singapore chalked up their first win by beating Hong Kong 2-1 but they will play in the play-offs for ninth to 16th positions.

Meanwhile, unseeded Chinese Taipei continued their good run by thumping host Malaysia 3-0 for their third consecutive win in Group C.

It was also the third straight loss for the Malaysians.

The points were delivered by Chang Chun Fang who beat Suhana Sofia Mohd Adam Das 6-4, 6-1 and Pai Ya Yun who beat Loo Shi Pei 6-4, 6-1 while Chang Chun Fang-Wu Fang Hsien defeated Aida Hereena Hairy Anuar-Suhana Sofia Mohd Adam Das 7-6(4), 6-1.

The other Group C match saw fourth seeds China edging eighth seeds Uzbekistan 2-1 to book a place in the quarterfinals alongside Chinese Taipei.

From Group D, third seeds India and sixth seeds South Korea also succeeded in securing their quarterfinal tickets.

India blanked South Korea 3-0 to collect three points to sit atop the group while South Korea had two points from two wins and one loss.

The other Group D match yesterday saw Vietnam beating Sri Lanka 3-0.

In today’s quarterfinals match-ups, Australia will play China, India face Philippines while Thailand will take on Chinese Taipei and South Korea will meet Japan.

In the play-offs for ninth to 16th placing, Indonesia will face Malaysia while the other matches are Vietnam versus Singapore, Kazakhstan versus Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka versus Hong Kong.

All matches will start at 8:30am.