by Ian Marshall, Editor
Notably in the junior boys’ singles event there were a total reversals of fortune.
One day earlier India’s Manush Utpalbhai Shah, the top seed, had experienced defeat at the hands of Japan’s Kazuya Sugimoto (6-11, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4); the end result was that Kazuya Sugimoto, who remained unbeaten, secured first place with Manush Utpalbhai Shah in second spot and thus through to the main draw.
In the opening round, Kazuya Sugimoto was beaten by Singapore’s Izaac Quek Yong (11-5, 11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5); conversely, Manush Utpalbhai Shah gained revenge on Japan. He overcame Takeru Kashiwa, the no.5 seed (11-7, 13-11, 4-11, 6-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-9).
Success for Manush Utpalbhai Shah, in somewhat similar circumstances it was the same for Frenchman Lilian Bardet. In the group phase of play he had also suffered at the hands of Japanese opposition; he had been beaten by Yuma Tanigaki (13-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3). Second place in the group and progress to the main draw, in the opening round, likewise he overcame Japanese opposition, he accounted for Hayate Suzuki (11-1, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7).
However, rather differently than the experience encountered by Manush Utpalbhai Shah, Yuma Tanigaki negotiated the opening round; he beat Singapore’s Nicholas Chong (11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-1, 11-5). Victory after defeat for Lilian Bardet, for colleague Dorian Zheng, it was the reverse scenario; having remained unbeaten to secure first place in his group, he suffered in the opening round, losing to Japan’s Yuto Abe (11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8).
Differing fortunes, for one further leading name it was the same; in the group stage India’s Raegan Alburquerque, the no.7 seed, had finished in second place in his group, losing to Korea Republic’s unbeaten Jang Seongil (11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10). In the opening round both enjoyed success; Raegan Alburquerque beat Japan’s Ryoichi Yoshiyama (7-11, 11-6, 12-14, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6), Jang Seongil accounted for India’s Deepit Patil (11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8).
Otherwise for the leading names it was first place in the initial group stage and opening round success. China’s Zeng Beixun, the no.4 seed, recorded a first round win against India’s Payas Jain (11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 11-2), Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka, the no.6 seed, ousted Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Peng-Yuan (11-7, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6); also from China, Quan Kaiyuan, the no.8 seed, ended the hopes of Hong Kong’s Choy Chun Kit (11-4, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7).
Surprise outcomes, it was the same in the cadet boys’ singles event. Hong Kong’s Yiu Kwan To was the major casualty, the no.3 seed, in the second round he was beaten by Korea’s Gil Minseok (11-9, 11-6, 11-7). Similarly there was defeat for Hong Kong colleague, Baldwin Chan Ho Wah, the no.8 seed, he experienced a second round reverse when facing Japan’s Rikuto Maede (11-3, 11-9, 11-6).
Problems for notable names but not for those at the very top of the cadet boys’ singles order. China’s Chen Yuanyu, the top seed and Iran’s Navid Shams, the no.2 seed, it was success. Similarly in round two prominent names in the guise of India’s Payas Jain, Singapore’s Izaac Quek Yong, Hong Kong’s Yu Nok and Japan Ryoichi Yoshyama enjoyed success.
Meanwhile, in the junior girls’ singles event, the top four names, Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and Kaho Akae alongside China’s Chen Yi and Wu Yangchen have yet to start their main draw matches. For India’s Swastika Ghosh and Prapti Sen in addition to Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and China’s Yang Yiyun, the players who complete the top eight names, it was success.
It is a not too dissimilar situation in the cadet girls’ singles event where the only one of the top eight names was on first round duty, Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi, the no.5 seed experienced defeat. She was beaten by China’s Xu Yi (11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 13-11).
China’s Chen Yi, Egypt’s Hana Goda, India’s Anargya Manjunath and Chinese Taipei’s Liu Ru-Yun alongside Japan’s Kaho Akae and Sakura Yokoi start their main draw matches on Sunday 16th June.
