by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
In the make or break title deciding match Yuya Oshima beat the host nation’s Mattias Karlsson. The scenario was simple, the winner secured an invitation; the loser could only ponder what might have been. Mattias Karlsson concluded matters in 29th place (175 points).
Furthermore, in Doha it may well be a busy time for Yuya Oshima; partnering colleague Masataka Morizono, despite a quarter-final defeat in the Swedish capital, the duo ended the year in top place on the Men’s Doubles Standings (632 points). Thus they are bound for the Gulf state.
Likewise on duty in Stockholm, in the Men’s Singles Standings, Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov concluded the year in ninth place (550 points) and thus qualified for the Finals as did Japan’s Kenta Matsudaira and Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An. Kenta Matsudaira finished in 11th position (401 points), Chen Chien-An one place lower (337 points).
The Chinese quartet of Ma Long (2,100 points), Fan Zhendong (1,700 points), Xu Xin (1,300 points) and Zhang Jike (1,225 points) commanded the respective top four places.
Places cemented and invitations assured for the Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, it was the same in the Women’s Singles event.
Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, the winner in Stockholm finished in third place (881 points), behind the Chinese duo of Ding Ning (1,900 points) and Liu Shiwen (1,700 points); also from China, Zhu Yuling ended the campaign by reserving the fourth spot (800 points).
Likewise, present in Sweden and also from Japan, Mima Ito, Yuka Ishigaki and Hina Hayata, all secured Doha invitations. Effectively, Mima Ito ended matters in eight place (525 points); similarly, it was 10th position for Yuka Ishigaki (451 points) and 16th place for Hina Hayata (353 points).
China’s Li Xiaoxia and Wu Yang finished in joint sixth place (600 points) but neither met the five appearance requirement.
Notably also in action in Stockholm, Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching ended matters in what was realistically seventh place (538 points), for Korea’s Yang Haeun it was two places lower (459 points). Germany’s Han Ying secured the 12th qualifying place (400 points), colleague Shan Xiaona, the 15th (360 points).
Also, just as it had been make or break for Yuya Oshima in the Men’s Singles event; it was the same for the Stockholm Men’s Doubles winners; Brazil’s Hugo Calderano and Gustavo Tsuboi gained the eighth and last available place (326 points).
Similarly, semi-finalists Germany’s Patrick Franziska and Jonathan Groth, secured their invitation by finishing in the sixth qualifying place (400 points).
Meanwhile, Korea’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun (1,082 points), runners up in Sweden, finished the year in top spot on the Women’s Doubles order of merit. Second place was reserved by China’s Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen (1,050 points) with Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato in third position (589 points). In Stockholm Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato reached the semi-final stage.
Invitations gained by those who visited the Nordic country, it was the same in the Under 21Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles events.
On the Under 21Men’s Singles Standings, Chinese Taipei’s Liao Cheng-Ting finished in fifth place (507 points), one ahead of Frenchman Can Akkuzu (404 points) and two ahead Korea’s Park Ganghyeon (387 points).
In a similar fashion on the Under 21Women’s Singles Standings, Japan’s Sakura Mori concluded matters in fifth position (665 points), immediately pursued by colleague Saki Shibata (541 points), Korea’s Choi Hyojoo (520 points) with Miyu Maeda, also from Japan claiming the last available place for Doha (347 points).
Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit ended the year in top spot on the Under 21Men’s Singles Standings (877 points); Singapore Zeng Jian (1,245 points) concluded the year at the top of the Under 21Women’s Singles listings.
2016 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm: Full Invitation List and Reserves
