by Ian Marshall, Editor
Meanwhile, for the host nation Jeoung Youngsik and Jeon Jihee very much kept hopes alive.
Men’s Singles: Round Two
…………The host nation’s Lim Jonghoon, the no.11 seed, came within a whisker of causing a sensation; he held one match point before experiencing defeat against Ma Long, the no.4 seed, by the very narrowest of margins (11-5, 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 14-12).
…………Mattias Falck, the no.8 seed and runner up at the recent Liebherr 2019 World Championships, was beaten by Swedish colleague, Kristian Karlsson (7-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8).
…………China’s Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the respective top two seeds, advanced in some style. Fan Zhendong beat Spain’s Alvaro Robles (11-2, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9); Xu Xin ended the hopes of Quadri Aruna, the no.15 seed (11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-5).
…………Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, the no.3 seed, progressed but he was tested by Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, the no.12 seed, he needed six games to secure victory (8-11, 18-16, 11-8, 16-18, 15-13, 11-7).
…………Defending champion, the Korea Republic’s Jang Woojin, the no.6 seed, suffered against colleague Jeoung Youngsik, the no.13 seed; he was beaten in four straight games (11-8, 12-10, 11-4, 11-4).
…………China’s Wang Chuqin and Liang Jingkun both booked quarter-final places. Required to qualify, Wang Chuqin accounted for Portugal’s Marcos Freitas (11-2, 11-6, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5); Liang Jingkun, the no.5 seed, ousted Korea Republic’s Cho Seungmin (8-11, 18-16, 11-8, 16-18, 15-13, 11-7).
Women’s Singles: Round Two
…………Jeon Jihee, the no.15 seed, kept the host nation’s hopes alive; she beat Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.8 seed (11-5, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8).
…………Sun Yingsha repeated the success of the previous month in Japan; the no.16 seed, she accounted for Chinese national team colleague and reigning world champion, Liu Shiwen, the no.4 seed (11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6).
…………Reigning champion, China’s Zhu Yuling, the no.5 seed, kept her hopes of a successful defence alive. She beat Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem, the no.11 seed (11-4, 11-4, 11-7, 11-3).
…………The top names, both from China progressed. Ding Ning beat Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, the no.12 seed (11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5), Chen Meng accounted for Japan’s Miu Hirano, the no.9 seed (11-5, 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 4-11, 11-8).
…………Wang Manyu, also from China, ended the brave run of the one qualifier to advance to round two. She beat Japan’s Miyu Nagasaki (9-11, 13-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-4, 11-6).
…………Kasumi Ishikawa and Mima Ito prevailed in the all Japanese duels. Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.6 seed, beat Saki Shibata, the no.13 seed (11-6, 8-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-5); Mima Ito, the no.7 seed, overcame the defensive skills of Hitomi Sato, the no.14 seed (11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6).
Men’s Doubles
………… Jang Woojin and Lim Jonghoon, the no.3 seeds and defending champions, surrendered their title, a toe injury forcing Jang Woojin to retire. Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu, the top seeds, received a walk-over.
…………After overcoming China’s Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the no.6 seeds, beat Japan’s Masataka Morizono and Maharu Yoshimura, the no.4 seeds (12-14, 11-9, 14-12, 11-6) to reserve their place in the final.
Women’s Doubles
…………Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, the top seeds, overcame compatriots, Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen, the no.8 seeds, by the very narrowest of margins (14-16, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10) to reserve their place in the final.
…………Choi Hyojoo and Yang Haeun prevailed in the all Korea Republic semi-final. The no.6 seeds, they beat Jeon Jihee and Lee Zion, the no.4 seeds (7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7).
Mixed Doubles
…………Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, the top seeds, booked their final place in style; the beat Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito (8-11, 11-4, 13-11, 11-8).
…………Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the no.2 seeds, advanced in a similar manner; they accounted for Hong Kong colleagues, Ho Kwan Kit and Lee Ho Ching, the no.7 seeds (11-8, 11-9, 11-7).
