by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon, the no.16 seed, beat Japan’s Yuta Tanaka (11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8); an opening success but later in the morning session of play it was somewhat different.
Padasak Tanviriyavechakul, the no.13 seed, experienced defeat at the hands of Japanese qualifier, Hokuto Koriyama (11-6, 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11), Pattaratorn Passara, like Hokuto Koriyama a qualifier, lost to India’s Harmeet Desai, the no.4 seed (11-1, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7).
Defeat for Padasak Tanviriyavechakul; he was one of seven seeds to experience an opening round reverse as play progressed in the top half of the Men’s Singles draw.
Notably, Korean qualifiers were in form; Baek Hogyun beat Qatar’s Mohammed Abdulwahhab, the no.32 seed (11-7, 11-3, 11-1, 11-8), Hwang Minha accounted for Malaysia’s Lee Chee Feng, the no.29 seed (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3).
Good form from Korea, it was the same from Chinese Taipei in the guise of Feng Yi-Hsin, as it was from Russia’s Fedor Kuzmin, Hong Kong’s Su Zhi and China’s Xu Ruifeng.
Feng Yi-Hsin, only 15 years old, like Fedor Kuzmin accounted for Austrian opposition. Feng Yi-Hsin beat Austria’s Simon Pfeffer, the no.20 seed (11-9, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7); Fedor Kuzmin accounted for Alexander Chen, the no.26 seed (12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 6-11, 12-10, 3-11, 11-1).
“It was a tough match. Sometimes he lost his way and at times I lost mine, so it was a difficult match overall. I just tried to play the best I could and even though I made some mistakes I did what I had to do.” Fedor Kuzmin
Likewise, Su Zhi overcame Singapore’s Ethan Poh Shao Feng (9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6), Xu Ruifeng halted the progress of Germany’s Kilian Ort, the no.23 seed (11-9, 11-7, 3-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8).
Problems for worthy names but not for the most prominent as play advanced in the opening round in the top half of the draw.
In addition to Harmeet Desai, Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko, the top seed, beat Austria’s David Serdaroglu (11-4, 11-6, 11-4, 11-5), Mizuki Oikawa, the no.7 seed, overcame Frenchman Leo de Nodrest (11-1, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6). Similarly, Austria’s Andreas Levenko, the no.8 seed, ended the hopes of Korea’s Woo Hyeonggyu (11-5, 11-9, 11-1, 11-4).
Play in the second round commences later in the day.
