by Ian Marshall, Editor
Just as in Taicang, the 14 year old was not seeded, no global status. Now on the recently published August list, he appears at no.48 on the Under 18 Boys’ World Ranking and at no.66 in the Under 15 order of merit. He is set to go higher.
Impressively he opened his account by beating China Zhu Jiaqi, the no.5 seed (11-6, 11-9, 11-7), before overcoming Chinese Taipei’s Li Yan-Jun (11-4. 11-6, 12-10) and India’s Payas Jain, the no.2 seed (11-4, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8) to reserve his place in the last four.
A place in the penultimate round contrary to seeding; it was the same for Thailand’s Chettanobi Chanpen, the no.14 seed and for China’s Zeng Beixun, the no.10 seed.
After narrowly beating Japan’s Ryoichi Yoshiyama in the opening round (11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7), Chettanobi Chanpen accounted for Ted Li of the United States, the no.18 seed (11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4), followed by success in opposition to Hong Kong’s Yu Nok, the no.7 seed (7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6).
Notably one round earlier, Yu Nok had beaten Singapore’s Andy Wong Kai Yan, the no.4 seed (11-4, 10-12, 11-8, 11-13, 11-5).
Fine form from Yu Nok in round two but then the end of progress; for Zeng Beixun it was same but with a difference, the good form continued to the quarter-finals. He beat Iran’s Navid Shams, the no.3 seed (13-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-2), prior accounting for Japan’s Haruki Harada (11-7, 11-9. 11-13, 11-8).
Three somewhat unexpected Cadet Boys’ Singles semi-finalists but there was one name that stood firm; China’s Xiang Peng, the top seed, booked his last four place, courtesy of success in opposition to Hong Kong’s Baldwin Chan Ho Wah, the no.8 seed (11-6, 11-6, 11-8).
Xiang Peng now meets Chettanobi Chanpen, Zeng Beixun opposes Hiroto Shinozuka.
Similarly, Xiang Peng in partnership with Zeng Beixun, booked a Cadet Boys’ Doubles semi-finals place; the top seeds, they meet Baldwin Chan Ho Wah and colleague Choy Chun Kit, the no.4 seeds.
Progress as expected, in the opposite half of the draw it is very different; Hong Kong’s Yiu Kwan To and Yu Nok, the no.5 seeds, meet Japan’s Sora Matsushima and Ryoichi Yoshiyama.
Yiu Kwan To and Yu Nok caused a quarter-final surprise by beating Singapore’s Nicholas Chong and Andy Wong Yan Kai (11-7, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6); Sora Matsushima and Ryoichi Yoshiyama sprung a major second round upset by ousting India’s Arush Dutt and Payas Jain, the no.2 seeds (11-9, 11-6, 11-9). One round later they reserved their semi-final place by overcoming Hong Kong’s Lau Chun Nok and Man Kai Shan, the no.11 seeds (11-4, 12-10, 11-7).
Play in Hong Kong concludes on Sunday 5th August.
