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Winners of the Women’s First Division title at the Liebherr World Team Championships, just under one year ago in Dortmund, Australia caused one of the biggest upsets to date in the Times Property World Team Classic in Guangzhou.

In their concluding group stage fixture on the morning of Friday 29th March 2013; they beat Poland, the eighth seeds, in a contest that lasted within seconds of three and a half hours.

A true team effort, the result meant Australia secured second place in the group behind Singapore with Poland suffering elimination.

Level After Two Matches
Zhenhua Dederko gave Australia the perfect start by beating Natalia Partyka by the narrowest of margins in the fifth game (9-11, 11-9, 10-12, 14-12, 11-9).

Immediately Poland levelled with Katarzyna Grzybowska overcoming Jian Fang Lay in a hard fought five games duel (17-19, 15-13, 11-7, 11-7). Next came the doubles which went the way of Poland.

Match Points Saved
Natalia Partyka and Magdalena Szczerkowska saved match point after match point in the fifth game of their duel against Miao Miao and Zhenhua Dederko (9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11); a result that had surely swung matters in favour of the Europeans.

It was not to be the scenario; Australia responded.

Australian Response
Miao Miao kept her nerve and in yet another duel that was decided by a minimal two point margin, she overcame Katarzyna Grzybowska (13-11, 11-9, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9) to set the scene for Jian Fang Lay to secure a quite sensational win.

Using her pen-hold blocking style of play to perfection, combining blocked returns from the long pimpled side of the racket and attacks from the reversed side, she mesmerised Magdalena Szczerkowska.

Third Game
She won the first two games with a degree of ease before in the third game losing the first five points; it appeared Katarzyna Grzybowska had adjusted to the style of Jian Fang Lay.

It was not the situation; Jian Fang Lay won the next nine points, it was over bar the shouting. Jian Fang Lay won in three straight games (11-7, 11-3, 11-7); Australia celebrated.

One upset as matters concluded in the first stage of the Women’s Team event but there was only one.

Jian Fang Lay secured victory for Australia by beating Magdalena Szczerkowska