Jeon gets second international title

Jeon Ji-hee won the 2015 ITTF World Tour Spanish Open in Almeria on Sunday, beating Sayaka Hirano in the women’s singles event.

Jeon, who came as No. 13 seed, beat the third-seeded Japanese in five games (11-5, 11-9, 3-11, 11-9, 11-5) to claim her second international trophy. At the Morocco Hassan II Open in July 2011, the 22-year-old beat Hirano in seven games for her first title.

Jeon, who is ranked 33rd in the world, has been strong against the 15th-ranked Hirano. She also defeated Hirano at the 2013 ITTF World Tour Polish Open and most recently in the women’s team competition at the Asian Games in Incheon in October, where Korea won the bronze medal.

Jeon, a naturalized Korean from China, plays for the Posco Energy table tennis team.

BY JOO KYUNG-DON