by Ian Marshall, Editor
Kazuki Hamada, Yu Kayama and Ryoichi Yoshiyama were very much the players in form.
Impressively, in the junior boys’ singles second round, Kazuki Hamada beat Iran’s Amin Ahmadian, the top seed and winner at the recent Hong Kong Junior and Cadet Open (11-8, 11-6, 11-6,11-3), before reserving his place in the last eight courtesy of success in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Ho Jui-Lin.
Imposing performances
Likewise, Yu Kayama was in no mood for charity. He accounted for Singapore’s Josh Chua Shao Han, the no.3 seed (11-4, 11-3, 11-9, 11-6), prior to securing a third round success in opposition to Korea Republic’s Kim Minsu (8-11, 14-12, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4). Noteworthy performances, Ryoichi Yoshiyama was not to be upstaged; he secured his quarter-final place by ousting Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin (5-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7).
Defeats for the hosts, in the third round of the junior boys’ singles event there was the reverse side of the coin. Lin Hsin-Yu beat Hong Kong’s Pau Yik Man, the no.7 seed (11-5, 11-8, 11-9, 13-11), Peng Chih ended the hopes of Korea Republic’s Park Gyeongtae (11-5, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8). Disappointment for the Korea Republic but there was unexpected third round success; Woo Hyeongggyu prevailed against the host’s Huang Yu-Jen (13-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7).
Surprise after surprise, the end result was that of the top eight names in the junior boys’ singles event, only two reserved quarter-final places; Chinese Taipei’s Tai Ming-Wei, the no.2 seed and Huang Yan-Cheng, the no.6 seed, emerged the survivors.
More upsets but success for principal names
Similarly, in the second round of the junior girls’ singles event, the round that booked quarter-final places, there were upsets.
Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Yi-Chen and Kao Ming both excelled expectations as did Singapore’s Ser Lin Qian. Hsu Yi-Chen beat Hong Kong’s Chau Wing Sze, the no.4 seed (11-8, 11-13, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8), Ser Lin Qian accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Cai Fong-En, the no.6 seed (11-9, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6), Kao Ming halted the aspirations of Wong Chin Yau, the n.8 seed (11-1, 11-6, 11-3, 11-9) and like Chau Wing Sze from Hong Kong.
Unexpected outcomes but in comparison to the junior boys’ singles event, the majority of the leading names progressed. Japan’s Kaho Akae, the top seed, reserved her place in the quarter-finals as did the next in the order of merit, Chinese Taipei’s Yu Hsiu-Ting and Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee. In a similar vein, last eight places were reserved by the host duo of Chien Tung-Chuan, the no.5 seed and Tsai Yu-Chin, the no.7 seed.
Major surprises
Meanwhile, as play advanced to the quarter-final stage of the junior boys’ doubles event, there were major upsets.
Singapore’s Beh Kun Ting and Dominic Koh Song Jun secured their quarter-final place by ousting Amin Ahmadian and India’s Vishwa Deenadayalan, the top seeds (11-4, 11-9, 11-6); likewise in the same round, Korea Republic’s Chae Byeonguk and Oh Seunghwan beat Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Jen and Tai Ming-Wei (4-11, 11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 11-8).
Defeats for the top two seed pairs, notably Feng Yi-Hsin and Huang Yan-Cheng, the no.3 seeds, survived but there was no progress for Singapore’s Josh Chua Shao Han and Izaac Quek Yong, the no.4 seeds, they experienced a second round defeat at the hands of Chinese Taipei’s Ho Jui-Lin and Tsai Li-Yang (6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9).
Top four advance
Upsets, conversely in the junior girls’ doubles event, the top four pairs all advanced to the quarter-final round, Chinese Taipei very much in evidence. Chien Tung-Chuan and Yu Hsiu-Ting, the top seeds, progressed as did Cai Fong-En and Hsiu Yi-Chen, the no.4 seeds.
Also there was success for Huang Min-Ju in partnership with Kaho Akae, the no.3 seeds, as there was for Hong Kong’s Chau Wing Sze and Lee Ka Yee, the no.2 seeds.
Success for Chinese Taipei
Meanwhile, as matters progressed to the quarter-finals of the cadet boys’ singles event, there were upsets, Hong Kong in particular realising problems at the hands of Chinese Taipei; Yiu Kwan To, the no.2 seed, experienced a second round defeat at the hands of Chuang Chia-Chuan (10-12, 11-13, 11-8, 11-4, 12-10); in the same round, Yu Nok, the no.3 seed, lost to Kao Cheng-Hui (12-10, 12-14, 11-8, 11-9).
Success for the host association and there was more, Zhuang Huang-Qi, Chang Yu-An, Chen Yen-Ting and Liang Chen-Wei all reserved quarter-final places.
Same half of draw
Progress for Chinese Taipei, in the cadet girls’ singles event, it was very much progress for Japan; Miwa Harimoto and Kaho Akae, the respective top two seeds, duly advanced to the last eight as did Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Yun-En, the no.3 seed.
However, only one member of the group will reach the final; all appear in the same half of the draw as a result of Kaho Akae losing in the group stage to Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yu-Chih (12-10, 11-4, 11-6) and having to settle for second position. Notably Chen Yu-Chih, in the opposite half of the draw, advanced smoothly to the quarter-finals.
Semi-finalists decided
The quarter-final stage of the cadet boys’ singles and cadet girls’ singles events reached; in the respective doubles events, the semi-finalists are known. In the penultimate round of the cadet boys’ doubles event, Chinese Taipei is very much in evidence. Hsu Chen-Feng and Shih Yu-Kai meet Chang Yu-An and Kao Cheng-Jui; in the adjacent half of the draw Wu Chiou and Zhang Huan-Qi face Korea Republic’s Lee Hoyun and Park Changgeon.
Chinese Taipei prominent, in the cadet girls’ doubles semi-finals that honour belongs to Japan. Sachi Aoki and Miwa Harimoto oppose colleagues Yura Shinohara and Fuwa Yumoto, Kaho Akae and Hina Higashikawa confront Korea Republic’s Lee Dayeon and Yoo Dahyeon.
Play in Chinese Taipei concludes on Sunday 29th September.
