by Ian Marshall, Editor
In the opening round of the men’s singles event, Yuki Matsuyama, Jo Yokotani, Yuto Kizukuri and Masaki Takami all caused upsets.
Yuki Matsuyama and Yuto Kizukuri both halted French progress; the former beat Andrea Landrieu, the no.8 seed (9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6), the latter overcame Quentin Robinot, the no.12 seed (11-4, 15-13, 11-7, 11-7). Similarly, Masaki Takami stifled European hopes by ousting Belgium’s Florian Cnudde, the no.15 seed (8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1, 11-8); Jo Yokotani by the very narrowest of margins caused India pain, he stifled the progress of Manav Vikash Thakkar (13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2, 9-11, 7-11, 12-10).
Defeats for four seeded players in the opening round of the men’s singles event; there was defeat for one more, from a very different climate to that of Indonesia, Scotland’s Gavin Rumgay, the no.10 seed, suffered a full distance reverse when confronting Thailand’s Padasak Tanviriyavechakul (11-9, 4-11, 11-13, 17-19, 11-9, 11-3, 11-8).
Notable departures; however for the most prominent names it was opening round success. Belgium’s Florent Lambiet, the top seed, beat Salah Albalushi of the United Arab Emirates (11-4, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6), Portugal’s João Monteiro, the no.2 seed, overcame Frenchman, Lilian Bardet (11-4, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7). Similarly, India’s Harmeet Desai, the no.3 seed, accounted for Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen (11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-5); also from Belgium, Martin Allegro, the no.4 seed, beat Chinese Taipei’s Yang Zhi-Ying (11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-7).
Upset seeding
Likewise required to qualify, in the opening round of the women’s singles event, Kaho Akae, Miyu Maeda and Moe Nomura emulated their male counterparts.
Kaho Akae caused the biggest upset of the day by beating India’s Madhurika Patkar, the no.4 seed (7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4), Miyu Maeda ousted Korea Republic’s Ji Eunchae, the no.13 seed (13-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5). In a similarly impressive manner, Moe Nomura ended the hopes of Jannah Romero of the Philippines, the no.15 seed (11-4, 11-4, 11-7, 11-5).
Success for Japan, in the opening round of the women’s singles event for Singapore it was somewhat different. Zhang Wanling beat Indonesia’s Gading Putri Al-Harzi, the no.16 seed (11-6, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5); conversely Wong Xin Ru, the no.9 seed, lost to Chinese Taipei’s Cai Fong-En (11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-13, 12-10), Goi Rui Xuan, the no.11 seed, suffered at the hands of Portugal’s Luo Xue (11-4, 11-7, 11-2, 11-5).
Defeat for the fourth seed, for the leading three names it was success. Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut, the top seed, beat Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yi-Chien (11-3, 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5), Portugal’s Shao Jieni, the no.2 seed, overcame Singapore’s Tan En Hui (11-1, 11-3, 11-7, 11-6). Not to be overshadowed, Maki Shiomi added to Japanese success, the no.3 seed, she prevailed in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Yu Hsiu-Ting (12-10, 11-2, 9-11, 11-6, 13-15, 11-5).
Also prominent
Prominent, succeeding against the odds in the men’s singles and women’s singles events, it was the same from Jo Yokotani and Yuma Tanigaki in the under 21 men’s singles, as it was from Moe Nomura in the under 21 women’s singles competition.
At the quarter-final stage Jo Yokotani ousted Manav Vikash Thakkar, the top seed (11-8, 11-9, 11-6), Yuma Tanigaki ended the hopes of Iran’s Amir Hossein Hodaei, the no.2 seed (6-11, 11-4, 11-4, 15-13).
At the semi-final stage it is Japan versus Chinese Taipei. Jo Yokotani meets Tai Ming-Wei, Yuma Tanigaki faces Huang Yan-Cheng. After the previous day beating Florian Cnudde, the no.3 seed (11-6, 11-5, 11-9), Tai Ming-Wei recorded a quarter-final success against Germany’s Meng Fanbo (7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6). In the opposite half of the draw, in the round of the last eight Huang Yan-Cheng accounted for India’s Siddhesh Pande, the no.4 seed (11-5, 11-8, 11-9).
Japan versus Chinese Taipei, in the under 21 women’s singles event, at the semi-final stage it is Japan versus the Korea Republic. Moe Nomura upset the order of preference by recording a quarter-final win against Archana Girish Kamath, the no.2 seed (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-1); colleague Maki Shiomi confirmed her top seeded position by ousting Chinese Taipei’s Lee Wan-Hsuan.
In the penultimate round Maki Shiomi meets Kang Gayun, Moe Nomura opposes Kang Dayeon, the no.4 seed. Following an opening round success against India’s Selena Selvakumar, the no.3 seed (11-7, 11-8, 14-12), Kang Gayun overcame Chinese Taipei’s Yu Hsiu-Ting by the narrowest of decisions (8-11, 12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10); rather more comfortably Kang Dayeon overcame Chien Tung-Chuan, like Yu Hsiu-Ting from Chinese Taipei 14-12, 21-19, 11-6).
Different situations
Players from the Land of the Rising Sun upsetting the seeding, it was the same in the opening round of the women’s doubles but not in the men’s doubles.
In the women’s doubles, it was more pain for Singapore. Kaho Akae and Miyu Maeda beat Goi Rui Xuan and Wong Xin Ru, the no.4 seeds (8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-5), Moe Nomura and colleague Yui Odono accounted for Tan En Hui and Zhang Wanling, the no.7 seeds (5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8).
Notable upsets but the most notable of all in the opening round of the women’s doubles event was achieved by Chinese Taipei, Cai Fong-En and Hsu Yi-Chen accounted for Archana Girish Kamath and Madhurika Patkar, the no.2 seeds (11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-1). Likewise, the host nation’s Gading Putri Az-Hari and Zidna Kautzar, the no.8 seeds, experienced defeat when facing Camille Lutz and Prithika Pavade of France.
Surprise defeats, for Thailand’s Orawan Paranang and Suthasini Sawettabut, the top seeds, there were no such problems; they recorded an opening round win against the French pairing of Isa Cok and Belgium’s Nathalie Marchetti (11-5, 10-12, 11-8, 11-5). Colleagues, Nathana Komwong and Jinnipa Sawettabut received a walk-over when scheduled to oppose India’s Ankita Sa and Krittwika Roy.
First round exits
Success upon success for Japan, in the opening round of the men’s doubles event life was different. Asuka Machi and Yuki Matsuyama lost to Hong Kong’s Kwan Man Ho and Lam Siu Hang, the no.2 seeds (12-10, 11-4, 5-11, 9-11, 11-9); similarly Yuma Tanigaki and Jo Yokotani departed as Singapore extracted an element of revenge. They were beaten by Clarence Chew and Ethan Poh Shao Feng (12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9).
Wins as expected but there were prominent casualties; Belgium’s Martin Allegro and Florent Lambiet, the top seeds, lost to the French pairing of Benjamin Brossier and Antoine Hachard (11-6, 11-8, 11-9). Similarly, Manav Vikash Thakkar and Indian colleague, Siddesh Pande suffered when facing the combination of Ibrahima Diaw and Thailand’s Padasak Tanviryavechakul (11-4, 11-8, 11-9).
Notable exits, however, other than for Martin Allegro and Florent Lambiet, it was a successful opening round for the leading pairs. Additional to Kwan Man Ho and Lam Siu Hang, colleagues Li Hon Ming and Ng Pak Nam, the no.4 seeds, beat Singapore’s Dominic Song Jun Koh and Gerald Yu Zong Jun (11-8, 11-6, 11-7), India’s Amalraj Anthony and Harmeet Desai received a walk-over when due to face Frenchmen Andrea Landrieu and Joe Seyfried.
Play continues on Saturday 16th November, at the close of play, the winners of the under 21 men’s singles and under 21 women’s singles events will be known, as well as the men’s doubles and women’s doubles finalists in addition to the men’s singles and women’s singles semi-finalists.
