by Ian Marshall, Editor

The Liebherr 2019 World Championships on the horizon, China delivered a clear message as the opening rounds of the men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles and women’s doubles events concluded in addition to the first round and quarter-finals of the mixed doubles competition.

Men’s Singles

…………Ma Long, the no.11 seed, beat Frenchman Tristan Flore (6-11, 11-5, 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 11-7)

…………The Chinese player to experience the toughest test of the day was Lin Gaoyuan; the no.2 seed, he overcame Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar by the very narrowest of margins (7-11, 4-11, 12-10, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9)

…………Runner up last year, for Brazil’s Hugo Calderano, the no.5 seed, it was a first round exit. He was beaten by Belgium’s Cédric Nutinck (11-4, 16-14, 8-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7)

…………Winner four days ago in Oman, 17 year old Lin Yun-Ju maintained his outstanding form; he accounted for Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, the no.7 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-3, 5-11, 11-7)

…………The top seed, China’s Xu Xin made his intentions clear; he beat the Korea Republic’s Lim Jonghoon (9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7)

Women’s Singles

…………Sun Yingsha caused the biggest upset of the day; she beat Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.2 seed (11-7, 11-9, 14-12, 11-5)

…………Qualifiers, China’s Gu Yuting, He Zhoujia and Wang Yidi all progressed to the second round. Gu Yuting beat Austria’s Sofia Polcanova, the no.15 seed (11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7), He Zhuojia accounted for Korea Republic’s Jeon Jihee, the no. 14 seed (5-11, 6-11, 12-10, 14-12, 11-6, 11-8); Wang Yidi received a walk-over against the injured Suh Hyowon, the no.9 seed and also from Korea Republic

…………Miyu Kato won the closest match of the round. She eventually overcame Japanese colleague, Hitomi Sato, the no.10 seed, in a titanic duel (11-7, 6-11, 7-11, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 15-13)

…………Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no. 6 seed and Japan’s Saki Shibata, the no.12 seed, both suffered defeats. Cheng I-Ching lost to colleague Cheng Hsien-Tzu; Saki Shibata suffered against Germany’s Han Ying (Tu (11-8, 13-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4)

…………China’s Ding Ning, the top seed, beat Chinese Tapei’s Chen Szu-Yu (12-10, 13-11, 11-7, 11-4); colleague Liu Shiwen, the no.3 seed and defending champion, accounted for Sweden’s Matilda Ekholm (11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6)

Men’s Doubles

…………Winners four days ago in Oman, Chinese Taipei’s Liao Cheng-Ting and Lin Yun-Ju, the no.4 seeds, suffered a first round exit. They were beaten by the combination of Poland’s Jakub Dyjas and Belgium’s Cédric Nuytinck (12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9)

…………Crowned world champions in 2013 in Paris but never through to an ITTF World Tour men’s doubles final, Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An and Chuang Chih-Yuan maintained that unwanted record. The no.5 seeds, they suffered at the hands of Germany’s Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska (11-4, 11-8, 11-3)

Women’s Doubles

…………Germany’s Nina Mittelham and Sabine Winter caused the one first round upset of note; they beat Korea Republic’s Jeon Jihee and Lee Zion, the no.7 seeds (6-11, 11-9, 9-11, 15-13, 11-7)

…………Japan’s Hina Hayata and Mima Ito, the top seeds, showed no charity; in the opening round they overcame the Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojoo and Yoo Eunchong (11-7, 11-8, 11-6). Revenge, the previous day Yoo Eunchong had beaten Hina Hayata in the women’s singles qualification tournament

Mixed Doubles

…………Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the top seeds, experienced an opening round defeat; they lost to Korea Republic’s Jang Woojin and Choi Hyojoo (11-9, 11-8, 11-5). One round later, Jang Woojin and Choi Hyojoo suffered at the hands of Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching, the no.6 seeds (11-4, 11-3, 11-5)

…………Favourites for gold, although only the no.5 seeds, China’s Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen beat Korea Republic’s Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee, the no.2 seeds (8-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-6) to reserve their quarter-final place