by Ian Marshall, Editor
Notably in the men’s singles event, China’s Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin and Ma Long all negotiated the first round as did Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto; similarly in the women’s singles, there was also success for China’s elite, Ding Ning, Chen Meng, Wang Manyu and Liu Shiwen duly made second round reservations without great alarm.
Similarly in the men’s doubles and women’s doubles matters went predominantly to plan but in the mixed doubles events, there was a major casualty.
Men’s Singles: Round One
…………Fan Zhendong, the top seed, was stretched the full seven games by colleague Xu Chenhao (5-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9).
…………Life was more comfortable for Xu Xin, Tomokazu Harimoto and Ma Long, the next names in the order of merit. Xu Xin beat Japan’s Yuki Hirano (11-6, 11-1, 11-2, 11-4), Tomokazu Harimoto accounted for Sweden’s Jon Persson (11-7, 11-6, 4-11, 11-5, 11-7); Ma Long ended the hopes of Takyu Jin, also from Japan (13-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4).
…………Portugal’s Marcos Freitas caused the biggest upset. He accounted for Lee Sangsu, the no.7 seed (8-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7), the host nation’s major hope for gold.
…………Cho Seungmin balanced the books for the Korea Republic; he accounted for Japan’s Koki Niwa, the no.9 seed (8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6).
…………Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson caused Japan more pain. He beat Jun Mizutani, the no.10 seed (11-9, 9-11, 3-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7).
…………Spain’s Alvaro Robles was in form; he overcame India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7).
Women’s Singles: Round One
…………Ding Ning avenged the defeat suffered at Seamaster 2018 Grand Finals, she accounted for colleague He Zhuojia (9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8).
…………Chen Meng, the no.2 seed and Wang Manyu the no.3 seed asserted their authority. Chen Meng beat Japan’s Honami Nakamori (11-5, 11-3, 11-5, 11-8). Wang Manyu, the no.3 seed, ended the hopes of India’s Manika Batra, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion (11-8, 11-4, 11-7, 13-11).
…………Liu Shiwen, the no.4 seed and current world champion emerged successful but she was tested; she needed six games to beat Japan’s Hina Hayata (11-5, 14-16, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5).
…………Defending champion, Zhu Yuling, the no.5 seed, made a positive start; she overcame compatriot Liu Weishan (11-9, 11-4, 13-11, 12-10).
…………Japan’s Miyu Nagasaki emerged the only qualifier to succeed; she accounted for the host nation’s Suh Hyowon, the no.10 seed (11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6).
…………Jeon Jihee, the no.15 seed, kept the hopes of the host nation alive; she beat Japan’s Miyu Kato (11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6).
Men’s Doubles: Round One
…………Korea Republic’s Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu, the top seeds, beat Singapore’s Clarence Chew Zhe Yu and Ethan Poh Shao Feng (11-6, 11-6, 11-5).
…………Likewise, Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit and Wong Chun, the no.2 seeds, enjoyed success. They beat Sweden’s Truls Moregard and Jon Persson (11-8, 12-14, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5).
…………Germany’s Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang caused the only upset. They accounted for Hong Kong’s Lam Siu Hang and Ng Pak Nam, the no.7 seeds (11-7, 11-8, 11-7).
Women’s Doubles: Round One
…………Top seeds, Chen Meng and Wang Manyu beat the combination of Norway’s Ma Wenting and Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut (11-6, 11-1, 12-10).
…………In a similar vein, the partnership of Slovakia’s Barbora Balazova and the Czech Republic’s Hana Matelova emerged successful; the no.2 seeds, they accounted for India’s Sutirtha Mukherjee and Madhurika Patkar (11-5, 11-9, 3-11, 11-13, 11-4).
…………Singapore’s Yu Mengyu and Zeng Jian caused the one upset. They beat Hong Kong’s Lee Ho Ching and Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the no.3 seeds (7-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-9).
Mixed Doubles: Round One
…………Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, the top seeds, beat Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador and Adriana Diaz (11-1, 11-7, 11-5).
…………In a rather more exacting contest Hong Kong’s Wng Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the no.2 seeds, accounted for India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta and Manika Batra (5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-2.
…………Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito caused a major upset. They beat Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching, the no.4 seed (11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 12-10) the pair that leads the ITTF World Tour Standings.
…………Hungary Adam Szudi and Szandra Pergel arguably caused an even bigger upset; they accounted for Japan’s Maharu Yoshimura and Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.4 seeds and 2017 world champions
…………Lim Jonghoon and Yoo Eunchong prevailed in the all host nation duel and caused an upset; they beat Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee, the no.5 seeds (5-11, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11, 11-8).
Trivia Fact
…………In the men’s singles event Alvaro Robles, Kristian Karlsson, Marcos Freitas, Cho Seungmin and Wang Chuqin were the qualifiers to beat seeded players. In the women’s singles it was Miyu Nagasaki.
…………What have they all in common? They are all left handers.
