by Ian Marshall, Editor

Defeat for Kanak Jha but he was not the only notable name to experience an earlier than expected exit.

Puerto Rico’s Daniel Gonzalez, the no.2 seed, departed proceedings in the second round, beaten by the host nation’s Ju Mingwei (11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-6). An early success for Ju Mingwei but the delight was soon quelled; one round later, like Kanak Jha, he suffered at Japanese hands; he was beaten by Koji Uezu (11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-6).

A third round exit for Ju Mingwei, in round three it was the same outcome for Canada’s Jeremy Hazin, Germany’s Gerritt Engeman and the host nation’s Nicholas Tio; all players who share the no.5 seeded position in the draw. Jeremy Hazin experienced defeat at the hands of Ma Jinbao of the United States (11-5, 11-2, 11-5, 11-9), for Gerritt Engemann and Nicholas Tio, it was an all too familiar scenario; progress halted by a Japanese adversary. Gerritt Engemann was beaten by Tateshi Atsuya (11-3, 11-9, 12-10, 11-5); Nicholas Tio lost to Yuki Shimoyama (11-9, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5).

Success upon success for Japan but there was defeat; Kei Murai suffered against Rajko Gommers of the Netherlands (9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9). Meanwhile, in the remaining third round Men’s Singles contests, Canada’s Eugene Wang, the no.3 seed, overcame the host nation’s Li Juan (11-5, 11-1, 15-13, 11-5); Germany’s Tibias Hippler, also listed as a no.5 seed, received a walk-over against Tao Wenzheng of the United States.

At the quarter-final stage Ryohei Kanoya meets Ma Jingbao, Takeshi Atsuya confronts Rajko Gommers; in the opposite half of the draw Eugene Wang faces Yuki Shimoyamsa, Tobias Hippler plays Koji Uezu.

2018 United States Open: Seeding and Results

2018 United States Open: Feature articles by Matt Hetherington and Richard Finn