Success in Panagyurishte, now major challengers for Grand Finals place

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

On the Men’s Singles Standings, Tomas Konecny makes the quite staggering move from no.99 to no 15 (222 points); on the counterpart Women’s Singles listings, Yuka Ishigaki advances from no.26 to no.13 (337 points).

Likewise, there is notable progress for the runners up and losing semi-finalists in Bulgaria.

Beaten by Tomas Konecny in the final, Frenchman Quentin Robinot advances from no.64 to no.24 (64 points), whilst defeated semi-finalists Russia’s Mikhail Paikov and Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri both make notable progress.

Yuto Kizukuri climbs from no.63 to no.37 (84 points); Mikhail Paikov from no.76 to no.41 (78 points).

China’s Ma Long continues the lead the Men’s Singles Standings (1,800 points) with colleagues Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin continuing to share second place (1,200 points).

Similar Situation

It is a very similar situation on the Women’s Singles Standings, with Yuka Ishigaki’s colleagues Misaki Morizono, Maki Shiomi and Miyu Maeda all making progress.

Runner up, Misaki Morizono moves from no.42 to no.26 (182 points). Semi-finalist Miyu Maeda from 63 to no.43 (80 points), also a semi-finalist, Maki Shiomi from no.97 to no.49 (61 points).

Russian pairs eye finals

Eyes on a place in the Grand Finals; it is very much the same scenario for the Russian partnerships who reached the respective Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles finals in Bulgaria.

Alexey Liventsov and Mikhail Paikov, the Men’s Doubles winners move from no.10 to no.7 (363 points); Maria Dolgikh and Polina Mikhailova, the Women’s Doubles silver medallists advance from no.7 to no.3 (301 points).

Difficult task

Both pairs have completed the minimal four match criteria as a doubles combination in order to meet the Grand Finals qualification criteria; as for the partnerships they confronted in the title deciding matches in Panagyurishte, their participation is still theoretically possible but in reality extremely difficult.

Bulgaria, was the first appearance of the year on the ITTF World Tour in both instances.

Chinese Taiei’s Liao Cheng-Ting and Sun Chia-Hung, beaten by Alexey Liventsov and Mikhail Paikov at the final hurdle, enter the listings at no.16 (100 points); Japan’s Miyu Kato and Misaki Morizono, the Women’s Doubles winners, appear at no.9 (200 points).

Top places retained

China’s Xu Xin and Zhang Jike, the reigning World champions, continue to lead the Men’s Doubles Standings (600 points); Japan’s Masataka Morizono and Yuya Oshima remain in second place (594 points).

Meanwhile, on the Women’s Doubles list, Korea’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun maintain pole position (969 points), followed immediately by China’s Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen (900 points).

Men’s Doubles qualification in doubt for Liao Cheng-Ting; it is extremely possible in the Under 21 Men’s Singles event. Following his victory in Bulgaria, he moves from no.26 to no.9 (291 points); Frenchman Enzo Angles, beaten in the final enjoys and even greater climb, he advances from no.99 to no.22 (109 points).

Korea’s Lim Jonghoon (659 points) and Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit (577 points), continue to hold the respective to two places.

Major boost

Meanwhile both Saki Shibata and Miyu Kato, the finalists in Panagyurishte have given themselves a major boost in their quest for a Grand Finals place. Saki Shibata, the winner, moves from no.15 to no.5 (503 points); whilst Miyu Kato consolidates her no.4 spot (783 points).

She trails colleague, Yui Hamamoto (957 points), who continues to lead the field, ahead of Singapore’s Zang Jian (839 points) and Hina Hayata, also from Japan (875 points).