by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Notably those who had won ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles titles set the tone in opposition to adversaries, who possessed a good deal less international experience.

Singapore’s Gao Ning, India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Finland’s Benedek Olah all overcame Australian adversaries; England’s Paul Drinkhall halted the aspirations of New Zealand.

Gao Ning beat Bob Liang (11-7, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9), Sathiyan Gnanasekaran overcame Benjamin Taylor (11-6, 11-5, 11-2, 11-4), whilst Benedek Olah proved too powerful for Fred Xu (11-4, 11-9, 11-5, 11-2).

Likewise, Paul Drinkhall, was in the fast lane, he pressed the accelerator; he ended any hopes that New Zealand’s Cheng Ziyang may have harboured (11-2, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5).

Straight games wins were the order of the evening, the only notable names on duty to experience any problems at all were Chinese Taipei’s Chiang Hung-Chieh, India’s Amalraj Anthony and Korea’s Park Gangyeon.

Chiang Hung-Chieh needed five games to beat Slovakia’s Thomas Keinath (11-5, 5-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-6), whilst both Amalraj Anthony and Park Gangyeon needed six games to ensure success.

Amalraj Anthony, the runner up earlier in the year in the Challenge Series tournaments in Chile and Brazil, overcame Korea’s Kim Minhyeok (11-9, 11-13, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5); in a similar manner, Park Gangyeon accounted for England’s Andrew Baggaley (10-12, 11-3, , 10-12, 11-2, 5-11, 13-11).

Play in the Men’s Singles qualification  tournament concludes on Monday 4th July.