by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

In the fourth round of the Men’s Singles event, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin both ended Korean hopes; Fan Zhendong, the no.2 seed, beat Lee Sangsu, the no.9 seed; Xu Xin, the no.3 seed, accounted for Jang Woojin, the no.14 seed (11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6).

Similarly, Zhang Jike, the no.4 seed, overcame Japan’s Yuya Oshima, the no.10 seed (11-9, 11-5, 11-3); Lin Gaoyuan, the no.12 seed, prevailed against Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, the no.5 seed.

Disappointment for Hong Kong; there was further disappointment, Jeong Sangeun beat Jiang Tianyi, the Korean maintaining his form of one day earlier when he caused a sensation by beating Ma Long (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6). Likewise, not seeded Lam Siu Hang overcame India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta, the no.16 seed.

Mixed fortunes for Japan with the defeat of Yuya Oshima but there was success; Maharu Yoshimura, the no.12 seed, beat Chinese Taipei’s unseeded Yang Heng-Wei; Koki Niwa, the no.7 seed, halted the progress of Singapore’s Gao Ning, the no.15 seed.

At the quarter-final stage Jang Sangeun meets Maharu Yoshimura, Koki Niwa opposes Xu Xin; in the opposite half of the draw it is Zhang Jike versus Lin Gaoyuan, Lam Siu Hang in opposition to Fan Zhendong.

Meanwhile, in the Women’s Singles event, following the quarter-final defeat of China’s Ding Ning, the top seed, by Miu Hirano (3-11, 12-14, 11-9, 16-14, 12-10), Zhu Yuling, the no.3 seed, prevailed in an all Chinese battle against Wu Yang, the no.9 seed, whilst Chen Meng, the no.5 seed and also from China overcame Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, the no.4 seed.

Chen Meng now confronts compatriot, Liu Shiwen, the no.2 seed, at the semi-final stage; Liu Shiwem having beaten DPR Korea’s unseeded Choe Hyon Hwa in the round of the last eight (11-4, 11-4, 11-5).

In the corresponding semi-final Miu Hirano meets Zhu Yuling.

The Women’s Singles and Men’s Doubles events will be played to a conclusion on Saturday 15th April; the Men’s Singles to the semi-final round.