African hopes take a hit

With Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna gaining automatic entry to the men’s singles Round of 32 the question was whether Egypt’s Omar Assar could join his fellow African in the main event? – The answer was no.

Establishing an early lead in his final qualification fixture but Omar Assar failed to pick up another game as Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic made the perfect response, winning four games in a row to seal the victory (6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5).

Swedish stars qualify

Against the odds Sweden’s Jon Persson has qualified for the men’s singles draw in Hong Kong, inflicting a surprise 4-1 defeat upon his significantly higher ranked opponent from Austria, Daniel Habesohn (11-8, 8-11, 14-12, 11-6, 12-10). Truls Moregard also saw off notable opposition, earning an impressive six games victory over Romania’s Ovidiu Ionescu (13-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-2, 1-11, 11-7).

“It was a good win and both of us performed well in the match. This is the first time I have played in Hong Kong. There were many spectators watching the match and the atmosphere was great. I really enjoy playing here.” Truls Moregard

Home delight

With the back of the home crowd Minnie Soo Wai Yam has successfully qualified for the women’s singles event, beating Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojoo across six games (11-6, 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9).

“I am happy that I won the match and I’m satisfied with my overall performance. The atmosphere and support from all the Hong Kong citizens was awesome! I truly believed they provided luck and power to me to win the match.” Minnie Soo Wai Yam

What a comeback!

While Polina Mikhailova’s campaign may be over, for fellow Russian compatriot Yana Noskova the journey continues after pulling off a sensational comeback in her preliminary round three encounter.

Trailing by a 0-3 games deficit Yana Noskova won four games on the bounce to emerge victorious over Romanian star Elizabeta Samara 4-3 (12-14, 9-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9).

Brave effort but Polina Mikhailova missed out

Russia’s Polina Mikhailova has missed out on the opportunity to compete in the main draw of the women’s singles event, falling to China’s Wang Yidi across six games in the third preliminary round (11-9, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-3).

Another Chinese representative joining Wang Yidi in the main event is Sun Mingyang following her straight games win against Slovak Republic’s Barbora Balazova (11-8, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7).

Czech stars complete stunning recovery

Tomas Polansky and Pavel Sirucek have qualified for the men’s doubles event after the Czech duo completed a fine comeback from 1-2 down to topple China’s Wang Chuqin and Xue Fei by a 3-2 score-line (11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7).

For Hong Kong there was defeat as Kwan Man Ho and Li Hon Ming lost out to France’s Tristan Flore and Emmanuel Lebesson (10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3).

Positives and negatives for Spain

Maria Xiao will represent Spain in the women’s doubles draw but it comes at a cost for her country as she and Canadian partner Zhang Mo had to eliminate the Spanish pair of Galia Dvorak and Liu Xin on their way success (11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7).

We also lost the highly capable doubles pairing of Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz and Melanie Diaz, who fell at the hands of Thailand’s Orawan Paranang and Suthasini Sawettabut (6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8).

Huge comeback display from Serbian pair

Down 0-2 in the second preliminary round, Serbia’s Aleksandar Karakasevic and Izabela Lupulesku showed great character to fight their way back to a 3-2 victory over the Czech duo of Tomas Polansky and Hana Matelova (7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5).

Success for Aleksandar Karakasevic and Izabela Lupulesku sees them reserve their spot in the main draw.

Chuang Chih-Yuan defeated!

One of the biggest names involved in qualification action but Chuang Chih-Yuan has missed out on the opportunity to compete at the main event with the Chinese Taipei player losing out to up-and-coming German star Qiu Dang in straight games (11-6, 15-13, 11-4, 11-8).

Another German victory came courtesy of Ricardo Walther, who stormed to a 4-0 success against Andrea Landrieu of France (11-4, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6).

Chinese duo prevail

Ma Te and Zhou Yu have moved one step closer to the main draw with the Chinese competitors successfully negotiating preliminary round two.

Fighting back from two games down Ma Te held the upper hand in his encounter against Russia’s Kirill Skachkov (6-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-1, 12-10, 11-9) while Zhou Yu needed just five games to see off Italy’s Mihai Bobocica (11-7, 12-10, 11-8, 10-12, 11-6).

Truls Moregard moves through

An exciting young prospect for Swedish table tennis, Truls Moregard has progressed to the third and final round of men’s singles qualification after posting a notable 4-2 win in his meeting with Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia (11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 11-4).

Indians impress

India’s Amalraj Anthony has pulled off one of the biggest upsets of his career to date in Hong Kong, recovering from a 1-3 games deficit to see off Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An by a 4-3 margin (11-7, 7-11, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8). Sathiyan Gnanasekaran also guided India to victory in the second preliminary round, beating Hungarian opponent Adam Szudi across five games (7-11, 11-8, 11-2, 13-11, 11-2).

Elsewhere, there was a surprise win for Paul Drinkhall as the Englishman emerged victorious over Japan’s Masataka Morizono in a seven-game thriller (11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 8-11, 15-13).

Pan American progress

Canada’s Zhang Mo, Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz and Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi all negotiated the second women’s singles preliminary round in some style.

Zhang Mo beat Sweden’s Christina Källberg (18-16, 14-16, 11-9, 12-10, 7-11, 11-8), Adriana Diaz accounted for India’s Ayhika Mukherjee (11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-6); Bruna Takahashi ended the hopes of Croatia’s Mateja Jeger (7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 12-10, 7-11, 11-3).

Miyu Kato makes intentions clear

Japan’s Miyu Kato, winner earlier in the year at the Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Spanish Open and quarter-finalist at the recent Liebherr 2019 World Championships, the leading name on women’s singles qualification duty in Hong Kong, made her intentions crystal clear.

In her opening contest she beat Spain’s Galia Dvorak in four straight games (11-4, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8).

Europeans enjoy success

There were notable successes for European players as the matters progressed in the second women’s singles preliminary round.

Sweden’s Linda Bergström beat Russia’s Olga Vorobeva (18-16, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 13-11), Hungary’s Georgina Pota accounted for Thailand’s Orawan Paranang (11-7, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6), Romania’s Elizabeta Samara ended the hopes of Hong Kong’s Lam Yee Lok. Earlier in the day, the Czech Republic’s Hana Matelova had ousted Chinese Taipei’s Li Yu-Jhun (11-6, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7).

Disappointment for Hong Kong

The host association’s Mak Tze Wing Chau Wing Sze both experienced second women’s singles preliminary round defeats.

Chau Wing Sze was beaten by Russia’s Yana Noskova (11-9, 11-3, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9); Mak Tze Wing lost to Korea Republic’s Kim Hayeong (11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 13-11). The name of Kim Hayeong may not be familiar, as Li Yiran she was a member of the Chinese junior team

Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour, Hang Seng Hong Kong Open: Qualification Schedule – Tuesday 4th & Wednesday 5th May

They were beaten in the first preliminary round of the men’s doubles event by Russia’s Alexey Liventsov and Mikhail Paikov, they suffered in four games (11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6).

Make no mistake, the Russian pair is one of quality, most notably they reached the semi-final stage of the men’s doubles event the 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Bangkok.

However, the current focus for all coaches is the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games; playing on home soil, Japan will want to match the men’s team achievement of Rio de Janeiro when they ended proceedings the silver medallists. However, with the emerge in the past four years of Tomokazu Harimoto does that present a team selection problem?

In Rio de Janeiro the team comprised Jun Mizutani, Koki Niwa and Maharu Yoshimura. The selection was straightforward, Jun Mizutani being left handed like Koki Niwa, either could partner the right handed Maharu Yoshimura in the doubles. Always Koki Niwa allied with Maharu Yoshimura, Jun Mizutani, the leading name, was always selected for the two singles matches.

Now in Tokyo the doubles in the team event will be the first match and Tomokazu Harimoto is now Japan’s leading name. Judging by results, it would appear that Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa will line up alongside Tomokazu Harimoto.

The question posed, Tomokazu Harimoto is right handed, a right hander with a left hander is perceived as the best combination; does he play in the doubles with either Jun Mizutani or Koki Niwa and thus only play one singles?

Alternatively do Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa form the doubles pair? In Hong Kong the partnership of Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa did not fire but there are thoughts that with the modern day “banana” backhand return of service, forearm high, racket circumnavigating the ball that two left handers together could be most effective.

Prior to banana time, the combination worked for Frenchmen Patrick Chila and Jean-Philippe Gatien, the won men’s doubles bronze at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games; can the same combination now work for Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa? Can two lefts make everything right?

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Mark Lu, Director of Communications at Wellbet

Kimberly Koh, Head of Sponsorship at ITTF

This will be the landmark 10th edition of the Australian Open, which belongs to the ITTF World Tour Platinum Series. This is the top tier of six events, offering higher prize money and world ranking points than the six Regular events on the ITTF World Tour, thus attracting the sport’s biggest star players, leading to greater media output and promotional activities.

The 2019 Australian Open will see players compete in Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles categories, in the quest for points to qualify for the season-ending Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals.

Stay tuned for more updates on this year’s Australian Open and the entire 2019 ITTF World Tour journey on ITTF.com as well as the ITTF’s social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube and Weibo.

Competing in class 6, Rungroj Thainiyom is the most celebrated name amongst the Thai visitors but he is not alone in terms of his country’s quality; in the men’s singles events Yuttajak Glinbanchuen, Anurak Laowong and Wanchai Chaiwut, alongside Maitree Kongruang all compete in the wheelchair classes.

Meanwhile, in addition to Rungroj Thainiyom, Charlermpong Punpoo is also on duty in the standing competitions.

All have enjoyed international success. Last December competing on home soil in Chiang Mai at the 2018 Para Thailand Open Yuttajak Glinbanchuen beat Anurak Laowong in the class 3 final. Likewise earlier this year there was also gold for Wanchai Chaiwut, he won class 4 at the Lignano Masters in northern Italy. Additionally, Maitree Kongruang enjoyed success in 2017 in Taichung, he was a bronze medallist in class 5; not to be upstaged, last year in class 7 at the Asian Para Championships it was silver for Charlermpong Punpoo.

Notable names from Thailand, there are also notable male names from other foreign shores.

Gold medallist in class 7 at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, Frenchman Stéphane Messi competes, as does Japan’s Koyo Iwabuchi, the class 9 bronze medallist at the 2018 World Para Championships. Similarly, in class 6 the Chilean names of Matias Pino and Cristian Dettoni appear; at the 2015 Para Pan American Games and at the 2017 Para Pan American Championships, Matias Pino won gold, Cristian Dettoni silver.

A major challenge from abroad, there are also prominent names from the host nation; Edith Sigala and Martha Verdin compete in the women’s singles events, Victor Reyes is on men’s singles duty. Similar to Matias Pino, competing in class 3, Edith Sigala won gold at the 2015 Para Pan American Games, the same at the 2017 Para Pan American Championships.

In a similar vein at the 2017 Para Pan American Championships Martha Verdin secured class 4 gold, Vitor Reyes, class 2 gold.

Overall a total of 77 men and 17 women will compete in Cancun.

2019 Para Copa Christina Hoffmann Open: Draw for individual events (Wednesday 5th June)

Close contests were the order of play, on a day when a Grand Finals winner and European champion departed.

Men’s Singles

…………Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan, the 2002 Grand Finals winner, was the biggest name to fall; he was beaten in the second preliminary round by Germany’s Qiu Dang (11-6, 15-13, 11-4, 11-8). Qiu Dang maintained his form to beat Frenchmen Can Akkuzu (5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9).

…………Sweden’s Truls Moregard, only 17 years old, was the player of the day. He beat Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia (11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 11-4) and Romania’s Ovidiu Ionescu (13-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-2, 1-11, 11-7).

…………Surprise winner one year ago, Japan’s Kazuhiro Yoshimura kept his title retention hopes alive; he beat the Czech Republic’s Pavel Sirucek in six games (11-6, 12-10, 2-11, 2-11, 12-10, 11-8) to reserve his main draw place.

…………Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar continued his good run of form; he beat another player in form, Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej (11-3, 11-3, 6-11, 11-4, 11-3) to reserve his spot in the next stage.

…………England’s Paul Drinkhall won the match of the day, he beat Japan’s Masataka Morizono in a titanic contest (11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 8-11, 15-13) but there was not to be a place in the main draw. In the concluding preliminary round he was beaten by China’s Zheng Peifeng (11-9, 14-12, 11-7, 12-10).

Women’s Singles

…………The leading names booked main draw places, in the concluding preliminary round Japan’s Miyu Kato beat Luxembourg’s Ni Xia Lian (11-7, 11-8, 11-13, 11-6, 11-5); Canada’s Zhang Mo accounted for Austria’s Karoline Mischek (11-8, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4).

…………Russia’s Yana Noskova performed the recovery of the day, she fought back from three games to nil in arrears to beat Romania’s Elizabeta Samara, the 2015 European champion (12-14, 9-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9).

…………Minnie Soo Wai Yam flew the flag for Hong Kong, she reserved her main draw place courtesy of success against Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojoo (11-6, 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9).

…………China’s Mu Zi ended the progress of one of Europe’s brightest hopes, she beat Hungary’s Georgina Pota, the recent winner at the Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Slovenia Open.

…………Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu ended the hopes of Manika Batra, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion (11-3, 7-11, 11-2, 4-11, 16-11, 11-8).

Men’s Doubles

…………Sweden’s new combination of Kristian Karlsson and Jon Persson maintained their impressive form as a partnership; they booked their main draw places courtesy of success against the more experienced Russian duo of Alexey Liventsov and Mikhail Paikov (9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7).

Women’s Doubles

…………Japan’s teenagers, Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki continued their winning ways; they progressed to the main draw courtesy of success against Romania’s Daniela Monteiro-Dodean and Elizabeta Samara (12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 6-11, 11-4).