by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Winner on the ITTF World Tour in Brazil in 2008 and seven years later in Hungary; currently listed at no.73 on the Men’s World Rankings, Jiang Tianyi beat Frenchman Antoine Hachard, named at no.132 (11-13, 11-8, 9-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-8).

Similarly, Su Zhi was in form, a player with no current world ranking, he rose to the occasion; he overcame Chinese Taipei’s Liao Cheng-Ting, listed at no.42, in five games (11-6, 12-10, 4-11, 11-4, 14-12) to cause one of the biggest upsets of the round.

Hard earned wins but agonisingly for the home supporters Lam Siu Hang, ranked no.75, was beaten in a full distance duel by Japan’s Yukiya Uda, listed at no.151 (11-8, 4-11, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 10-12, 11-9). Similarly in seven games, Ho Kwan Kit lost to Japan’s Kazuhiro Yoshimura (11-5, 5-11, 14-16, 11-9, 4-11, 13-11, 11-6). Presently in the global order, Ho Kwan Kit is at no.34, Kazuhiro Yoshimura at no.106.

Luck not on the side of Hong Kong, perhaps that was endorsed by the fact that Li Hon Ming and Ng Pak Nam confronted each other, by definition one had to depart and it was not the player world ranking advised. Listed at no.64, Ng Pak Nam experienced defeat at the hands of Li Hon Ming, named at no.190 (13-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11. 6-11, 11-7).

Play in the qualification tournament concludes later in the day.