by Ian Marshall, Editor
Furthermore, prominent names endured some testing moments
…………In the second round of the women’s singles event, 14 year old Satsuki Odo, the no.17 seed, came within an ace of beating Japanese colleague, Hitomi Sato, the no.2 seed. She lost by the minimal two point margin in the deciding seventh game (9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 10-12, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9).
…………Similarly, in the opening round of the men’s singles event, China’s 15 year old Xiang Peng gave Egypt’s Omar Assar, the no.8 seed, a severe examination. He suffered in the deciding game by the very narrowest of margins (12-10, 5-11, 2-11, 11-9, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10). Omar Assar duly booked his third round place by beating Xu Haidong, the reigning world junior champion and also from China (13-11, 13-11, 12-10, 11-13, 8-11, 11-5).
…………Japan’s Shunsuke Togami caused the biggest upset in the men’s singles event, in the opening round he accounted for Denmark’s Jonathan Groth, the no.2 seed (11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 15-13, 11-4); however, the joy was short lived, in the next round he was beaten by China’s Liu Yebo (14-12, 7-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8).
…………China’s Lin Gaoyuan duly kept his men’s singles title hopes alive; the top seed he ended Portuguese hopes. In the second round he accounted for João Geraldo (11-4, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7).
…………Equally, China’s Liu Shiwen was in no mood for charity. The top seed in the women’s singles event, like Lin Gaoyuan she doused host nation aspirations; she recorded a second round win in opposition to Shao Jieni, the no. 32 seed (11-6, 11-4, 11-5, 11-9)
…………Successful apart, successful together; Lin Gaoyuan and Liu Shiwen, the top seeds, reserved their mixed doubles semi-final place by beating Hungary’s Adam Szudi and Sandra Pergel (11-7, 11-9, 11-9).
………..Fine performances from young Chinese players, Niu Guankai stood out; in the second round of the men’s singles event he beat Romania’s Ovidiu Ionescu, the no.7 seed and silver medallist at the Liebherr 2018 European Championships. The 17 year old kept his nerve to win a close seven games duel (11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 4-11, 10-12, 11-8, 12-10).
…………Listed in top spot on the current under 15 girls’ world rankings, China’s Kuai Man progressed to third round of the women’s singles event. She beat Hungary’s Dora Madarasz, the no.23 seed (11-3, 11-3, 11-1, 11-2), before overcoming Britt Eerland of the Netherlands, the no.10 seed (11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-6)
…………Belgium’s Martin Allegro and Florent Lambiet were the major casualties in the men’s doubles competition; the no.4 seeds, in the opening round they were beaten by Germany’s Kilian Ort and Qiu Dang (11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7).
…………In the women’s doubles, Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Wen and Li Yu-Jhun caused a major opening round upset; they beat Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam and Ng Wing Nam, the top seeds (11-7, 3-11, 14-12, 11-6.
