Hitomi Sato led three Japanese players into the women's singles semi-finals ©Getty Images

Top seed Hitomi Sato led three Japanese players into the semi-finals of the women's singles draw at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Belarus Open in Minsk today.

Sato, ranked 23 in the world, swept past Russia's Valentina Sabitova in four straight games in her quarter-final.

She triumphed 13-11, 11-3, 12-10, 11-5 to set-up a last-four clash with team-mate Saki Shibata, a winner in a seven-set thriller today over Puerto Rico's Adriana Diaz.

Yuka Ishigaki won 11-6, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4 over Russia's Yana Noskova to keep the prospect of an all-Japanese final alive.

Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus stands in her way after an 8-11, 10-12, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 12-10 win over Japan's Maki Shiomi.

South Korea could be similarly successful in the men's draw after Jang Woojin and Cho Eonrae each made the last-four with respective wins in six and four sets over a third South Korean, under 21 singles finallist Park Ganghyeon, and Denys Kalachevskyi of Ukraine.

South Korea claimed a double gold in the under 21 events in Minsk ©ITTF
South Korea claimed a double gold in the under 21 events in Minsk ©ITTF

Romania's Huror Szocs will now face Jang while Cho will lock horns with Grigory Vlasov of Russia.

There was more success for South Korea after Jung Yumi and Cho Seungmin won the respective men's and women's under 21 singles titles.

Jung beat Japan’s Saki Shibata 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 in the women's final.

Cho then got the better of compatriot Park in a far closer affair, eventially prevailing 10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 5-11, 11-5. 

Men's and women's singles semi-finals and finals are scheduled for tomorrow.