by Ian Marshall, Editor
The third preliminary round, the round that decided progress to the main draw witnessed a host a contests to raise the eyebrows in each of the men’s singles and women’s singles event.
Somewhat differently, in the one preliminary round required in the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles contests, it was very much progress as anticipated.
Men’s Singles: Third Preliminary Round
…………Wong Chun Ting, the highest ranked player on qualification duty, was beaten by Korea Republic’s 16 years old, Cho Daeseong (11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-2).
…………Winner at the 2002 Grand Finals, Chuang Chih-Yuan, now 38 years old, suffered at the hands of China’s Zhang Peifeng (8-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8), the winner last year in the Czech Republic.
…………Semi-finalist three days earlier in Busan, Jeoung Youngsik lost to Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic (9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9).
…………Surprise semi-finalist last month in Sapporo, China’s Sun Wen overcame Korea Republic’s An Jaehyun (11-13, 7-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-9), bronze medallist at the Liebherr 2019 World Championships.
…………Korea Republic’s Cho Seungmin, the winner the previous day in opposition to Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus (9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5), maintained his outstanding form. He accounted for Austria’s Robert Gardos (13-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6).
…………Denmark’s Jonathan Groth maintained the good form displayed at the recent European Games; he ousted China’s Xue Fei (7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-1, 7-11, 11-8), the 2017 world junior champion.
Women’s Singles
…………Japan’s Miyuu Kihara, only 14 years old, caused the biggest upset; she beat Li Jie of the Netherlands (11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7), the runner up at the Liebherr 2015 European Championships.
…………Korea Republic’s Jeon Jihee, the highest rated player on duty, overcame colleague Kim Hayeong (11-7, 13-11, 11-8, 11-7, 15-13).
…………Japan’s Shiho Matsudaira responded; she beat Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Nam (6-11, 12-10, 13-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6).
…………China’s Qian Tianyi, the reigning world junior champion, underlined her quality; she overcame Japan’s Miyu Kato, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8), the winner earlier this year at the Seamaster 2019 Challenge Series Spanish Open.
…………Successful in Japan, China’s Sun Yingsha overcame Singapore’s Zeng Jian (11-3, 2-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8).
…………Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojo impressed; she ousted Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu (11-5, 7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8).
Men’s Doubles
…………Runners up the previous month in Sapporo, Germany’s Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang once again caught the eye. They beat Chinese Taipei’s Huang Chien-Tu and Yeh Chih-Wei (11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8).
Women’s Doubles
…………The French pair formed by Laura Gasnier and Audrey Zarif impressed. They accounted for Hong Kong’s Mak Tze Wing and Zhu Chengzhu (5-11, 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 11-8).
Mixed Doubles
…………Kane Townsend and Jee Minhyung flew the flag for Australia; they accounted for Alexandre Robinot and Audrey Zarif of France (11-7, 12-10, 11-6).
