by Ian Marshall, Editor

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem prevented a possible Chinese clean sweep.

Men’s Singles: Quarter-Finals

…………Jeoung Youngsik, the no.13 seed, rose to the occasion; he beat China’s Fan Zhendong, the top seed (11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 12-10).

…………Ma Long, the no.4 seed, was given a fright; he had to recover from a two games to nil deficit to eventually emerge successful against Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson (9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5, 11-8).

…………Wang Chuqin repeated the success enjoyed in the men’s singles final at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games; a qualifier, he beat Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, the no.3 seed (11-8, 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7).

…………Xu Xin, the no.2 seed, progressed; he accounted for colleague Liang Jingkun, the no.8 seed (11-6, 3-11, 11-3, 14-12, 5-11, 11-9).

…………At the semi-final stage Jeoung Youngsik meets Ma Long; Wang Chuqin opposes Xu Xin.

Women’s Singles: Quarter-Finals

…………Chen Meng, the no.2 seed, set the day in motion; she gave a scintillating display to end the hopes of colleague, Zhu Yuling, the no.5 seed (11-4, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7).

…………Sun Yingsha, the no.16 seed, saved two match points in the deciding seventh game against Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.6 seed, before emerging successful (10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 13-11).

…………Ding Ning, the top seed, ended the hopes of the host nation; she accounted for Jeon Jihee, the no.15 seed (11-7, 11-8, 11-6, 11-3).

…………Wang Manyu, the no.3 seed, overcame Japan’s Mima Ito, the no.7 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8) and thus repeated the success of late May when she had prevailed in Shenzhen.

…………In the penultimate round Ding Ning meets Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng opposes Wang Manyu.

Men’s Doubles: Final

…………Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the no.6 seeds, imposed their authority on proceedings; they beat the host nation’s Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu, the top seeds, in straight games (11-9, 11-7, 11-6).

…………Victory for Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin meant they repeated their success of last month in Sapporo; overall as a partnership it was their fifth career ITTF World Tour men’s doubles title.

Women’s Doubles: Final

…………A brave effort from Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojoo and Yang Haeun, the no.6 seeds but it was defeat. Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, the top seeds, secured the vital points to clinch the title (12-10, 15-13, 11-6).

…………It was for Chen Meng and Wang Manyu their second such success on the ITTF World Tour; the one previous occasion was in 2017 in Doha when Yang Haeun had also to settle for runners up spot. On that occasion she partnered Jeon Jihee.

Mixed Doubles: Final

…………Hitherto unbeaten, Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, the top seeds, experienced their first ever defeat on the ITTF World Tour as a partnership. The suffered at the hands of Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the no.2 seeds (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 13-11).

…………Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem emerged successful at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals but it was their first such success at an ITTF World Tour tournament.