by Ian Marshall, Editor
Presently listed at no.175 on the Under 21 Men’s World Rankings, he accounted for Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri, named at no.4 in the global listings and the top seed. In Pyongyang he lost an agonisingly close contest against colleague, Ri Jong Sik (11-6, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9, 12-10); in Daejeon he won in style, a four games victory was the order of proceedings (11-9, 6-11, 11-2, 11-3).
Success contrary to status; in the remaining quarter-final contests, all Japan affairs, Kakeru Sone and Kohei Sambe both upset the seeding, conversely for Mizuki Oikawa it was an outcome as anticipated.
Kakeru Sone, the no.21 seed, beat Yuta Tanaka, the no.8 seed (11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8), Kohei Sambe, the no.14 seed, accounted for Shunsuke Togami, the no.9 seed (11-4, 11-9, 11-7); an impressive performance from Kohei Sambe, it was very much the same from Mizuki Oikawa. The no.2 seed, he ended the hopes of Yukiya Uda, the no.11 seed (11-6, 4-11, 12-10, 11-8).
At the semi-final stage, Ham Yu Song meets Kakeru Sone, Kohei Sambe opposes Mizuki Oikawa
Meanwhile, at the quarter-final stage of the Under 21 Women’s Singles event, India’s Ayhika Mukherjee was the player to attract the attention. The no.14 seed, she caused a major surprise by beating Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chia-Hsuan, the no.5 seed (11-7, 10-12, 12-14, 11-8, 11-7).
Otherwise it was success for the higher rated player. Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the top seed, beat Belgium’s Lisa Lung, the no.8 seed (11-3, 11-3, 11-8); likewise there were successes for Japan’s Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki. Both impressed, Miyu Nagasaki, the no.2 seed, ended the hopes of the host nation by beating Shin Yubin, the no.7 seed (11-7, 11-8, 11-7); Miyuu Kihara, the no.3 seed, ended the hopes of colleague, Satsuki Odo, the no.6 seed (12-10, 11-7, 11-5).
In the penultimate round, Minnie Soo Wai Yam faces Ayhika Mukherjee, Miyuu Kihara confronts Miyu Nagasaki.
The semi-finals and finals of both the Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles events will be played later in the day.
