I Dig Sports
In the third round of the men’s singles event Tomokazu Harimoto beat Wong Chun Ting (11-7, 11-5, 11-3, 10-12, 12-10); in the same round of the women’s singles competition, Mima Ito overcame China’s Ding Ning (7-11, 12-10, 18-16, 13-11, 11-9).
Now, if any other 15 year old had beaten the athletic Wong Chun Ting, they would have been dancing in the streets of Tokyo. Tomokazu Harimoto was the higher ranked player, the no.4 seed as opposed to Wong Chun Ting who was the no.14 seed. Furthermore, on the two most recent meetings, in 2018 at the ITTF-Asia Cup in Yokohama and at the Liebherr 2019 World Team Championships in Halmstad, Tomokazu Harimoto had prevailed.
The notable win was arguably the round before, when he had beaten England’s Liam Pitchford, the no.15 seed, in four straight games (11-8, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8), the player against whom had lost on their two previous meetings, last year at the ITTF Team World Cup in London and then at the Liebherr 2019 World Team Championships.
Staying close to table, controlling the play, Tomokazu Harimoto demonstrated a maturity beyond his years against two players who delight in top spin play; it was very much the same for Mima Ito, staying close the table she used her speed and severity on the first three attacking strokes to good effect.
It was a splendid performance from Tomokazu Harimoto, even more so from Mima Ito; not only the fact that Ding Ning was the top seed has won every accolade the sport has to offer and can stand proudly alongside the best who ever lived but for another reason.
At the semi-final stage of the women’s singles event last November at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open, Mima Ito had caused a major upset by beating Ding Ning. Chinese players lose, much less often than others but they do lose; when that happens the coaches watch the videos, make a plan of campaign, avenge the defeat and continue to avenge the defeat.
A classic example involves Ding Ning; at the Seamaster 2017 Asian Championships, Ding Ning lost to Miu Hirano, she then won all of the next five meetings.
Earlier this year in March, Ding Ning redressed the balance against Mima Ito. She prevailed at the quarter-final stage at the Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open, so surely the pattern against Miu Hirano would follow?
It didn’t and the fact Mima Ito won today in Shenzhen makes the performance even more remarkable.
Now the next question and it applies also to Tomokazu Harimoto, can they repeat the such performances on the really big stage, the biggest of all, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Showcase Shenzhen: Top seeds fall, Mima Ito stuns
However, two facts remained constant; China’s Ma Long is on track for a record 28th ITTF World Tour men’s singles title; Japan’s Mima Ito continues to be the biggest threat to Chinese female excellence.
Men’s Singles: Quarter-Finals
…………Ma Long, the no.11 seed beat colleague Fan Zhendong, the top seed (11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10, 13-11) in the much awaited clash.
…………Lin Gaoyuan, the no.3 seed, withstood a spirited recovery by Chinese national team colleague, Liang Jingkun, the no.9 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 6-11, 11-7).
…………Tomokazu Harimoto, the no.4 seed, kept Japanese hopes alive; he accounted for Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, the no.14 seed (11-7, 11-5, 11-3, 10-12, 12-10).
…………Xu Xin was in fast lane; the no.2 seed, the Chinese star beat Germany’s Timo Boll, the no.5 seed (11-4, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6).
Women’s Singles: Quarter-Finals
…………Japan’s Mima Ito, the no.7 seed, caused a sensation; she beat China’s Ding Ning, the top seed (7-11, 12-10, 18-16, 13-11, 11-9).
…………Reigning world champion Liu Shiwen, the no.5 seed, departed at the hands of colleague and defending champion Wang Manyu, the no.4 seed (11-6, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4, 13-11).
…………China’s Zhu Yuling, the no.2 seed, won a crucial second game to turn the tide against Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.8 seed (7-11, 14-12, 11-7, 11-4, 11-5).
…………Cheng Meng, the no.3 seed, ended the adventures of Chinese national team colleague, Chen Xingtong, the no.14 seed (11-9, 11-5, 11-3, 11-7).
Men’s Doubles: Final
…………Required to qualify, German’s Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska beat China’s Ma Long and Wang Chuqin, the reigning world champions (11-8, 11-7, 11-5) to secure the title.
Women’s Doubles: Final
…………Qualifiers Gu Yuting and Liu Shiwen beat colleagues and top seeds, Wang Manyu and Zhu Yuling (11-7, 12-10, 11-9) to emerge the champions.
Mixed Doubles: Final
…………Winners earlier in the year at the Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Oman Plus Open, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching, the no.4 seeds, beat Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the top seeds, in the title decider (10-12, 11-6, 11-1, 11-5).
Overall, the ITTF Foundation was nominated in three categories:
…………“Best Corporate Social Responsibility or Community Scheme” for the Buenos Aires – Tokyo Bridging the Olympic Games project and Dream Building with Refugees Za’atari project in Jordan.
…………“Best Sports Governing Body Initiative” for the ITTF Foundation
…………“Best Sports Event of the Year- Overseas” for the annual World Table Tennis Day
In the one year since establishment, ITTF Foundation has sought to build capacity, improve lives and showcase the power and solidarity of table tennis as a sport that breaks barriers. It has promoted the concept of being a catalyst for fostering peace and social cohesion, a sport that improves the health and well-being of individuals regardless of age, physical ability and social status. It is popular, universal and inclusive.
“World Table Tennis Day creates a sense of belonging across the world by encouraging inclusive play; it spreads joy and communalism. Annually, it aims to increase table tennis participation and awareness while aligning our passion to drive positive social change. Table Tennis. For All. For Life.“Thomas Weikert
Also, the International Table Tennis Federation was nominated in the “Best Brand Activation involving Sport” for the 2018 TATA Trickshot Challenge.
The ITTF Foundation received recognition as an organization that is committed and passionate about using table tennis as a tool for peace and sustainable development; empowering local communities and connecting people globally.
Significantly, World Table Tennis Day 2019 celebrations on 6th April, registered an astounding 922 events in 107 countries across the world. The Buenos Aires – Tokyo, Bridging the Olympic Games two year project in Argentina is part of the Foundation’s legacy programme; the Nittaku Dream Building with Refugees in Za’atari is a three year project in Jordan, part of the Dream Building programme that supports humanitarian projects.
“This is a great achievement for us all including our partners, the ITTF Foundation leadership and team as well as for every local organizer who ensures table tennis reaches a bigger and more diverse audience each year. This year was phenomenal, and we owe it to everyone who believes with us, that we are building a better world,” Leandro Olvech
We would like to congratulate all other fellow winners and nominees. Indeed, together we’re creating positive change.
Raisa Chebanika adds to collection, second title secured
The win was as expected, the duo commenced play as the top seeds, finishing ahead of the combination formed by Great Britain’s Fliss Pickard and Norway’s Merethe Tveiten.
Likewise in group administered events, Croatia’s Andela Muzinic and Helena Dretar justified their top seeded status to emerge the class 2-3 winners, as did Serbia’s Borislava Peric-Rankovic and Nada Matic in class 4-5. It was the same outcome in class 11 for Poland’s Krystyna Lysiak and Dorota Nowacka, they started proceedings as the favourites; they concluded matters as predicted in the role of champions.
However, there were surprises; in class 7-8, the German combination of Stephanie Grebe and Juliane Wolf had to settle for runners up spot behind the partnership formed by the combination of Russia’s Elena Litvinenko and Japan’s Yuri Tomono. In the vital contest when the teams met to determine first place, Elena Litvinenko and Japan’s Yuri Tomono recorded a hard earned 2-1 win.
Similarly, in class 10, the top seeds had to settle for silver. The host nation’s Karolina Pek, Malgorzata Jankowska and Katarzyna Marszal experienced a 2-0 defeat when facing the champions elect, the international combination of Turkey’s Merve Demir, Romania’s Ioana-Monica Tepelea and Nozomi Takeuchi.
Play concluded in Wladyslawowo, attention now turns to a very different part of the world; the destination is Mexico, the resort of Cancun, the Para Copa Cristina Hoffmann 2019 tournament commences on Wednesday 5th June and concludes on Friday 7th June.
2019 Para Polish Open: Latest results and main draws
Major upsets France, Great Britain and Sweden surprise winners
Representing Sweden, Niklas Westerberg and Jonas Hansson emerged the class 7 winners in a most impressive manner.
Notably at the semi-final stage they recorded a 2-0 win against the top seeds, the combination of the Czech Republic’s Daniel Horhut and Zbynek Lambert who lined up alongside Belgium’s Ben Despineux, prior securing victory in the final by the same margin in opposition to the top seeded Hong Kong pairing of Lee Ling Yip and Chen Silu.
Likewise Great Britain’s Aaron McKibbin and Billy Shilton secured the class 8 title in the same vein. They registered a 2-0 win against the no.2 seeds, Slovakia’s Richard Csejtey and Belgium’s Marc Ledoux in the penultimate round, before repeating the success against Poland’s Macin Skrzynecki and Pior Grudzien to claim the top prize.
Success against the top seeds in the final, it was the same in class 9-10 for Mateo Boheas and Gilles Bourdonnaye of France. After recording a 2-0 semi-final success against Italy’s Mohamed Amine Kalem and Lorenzo Cordua, a 2-1 win in opposition to Spain’s Juan Bautista Perez and Jorge Cardona sealed the title.
Wins very much contrary to status and there was one more but less unexpected. The no.2 seeds, Serbia’s Goran Perlic and Poland’s Tomasz Jakimczuk secured the class 1-2 title. At the final hurdle they accounted for the top seeded combination of Frenchman Fabien Lamirault and Switzerland’s Sylvio Keller; a 2-1 margin of victory was the outcome.
Otherwise in the men’s team events, the top seeds prevailed. Germany’s Thomas Brüchle and Thomas Schmidberger claimed the class 3 title; Poland’s Rafal Lis and Krszysztof Zylka prevailed in class 4, Turkey’s Nesim Turan and Ali Ozturk emerged the class 5 champions.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Alvaro Valera and Alberto Seoane struck gold in class 6, the combination of Hungary’s Peter Palos and Venezuela’s Denisos Martinez emerged the class 11 winners.
Play concluded in Wladyslawowo, attention now turns Cancun in Mexico; the Para Copa Cristina Hoffmann 2019 tournament commences on Wednesday 5th June and concludes on Friday 7th June.
2019 Para Polish Open: Latest results and main draws
Going for gold again: Australia’s Cameron Pilley and Donna Lobban
Hosts hope for Gold Coast hat-trick
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad International Correspondent
Australia are seeded win all three gold medals in the 2019 WSF World Doubles Squash Championships next month on home soil – 15 years after becoming the first country to achieve the triple in the 2004 championships in India.
The sixth World Doubles Championships will take place in Queensland next month at the new Carrara Squash Centre in Gold Coast, from 17-21 June.
“World Doubles Squash is growing in importance and significance internationally,” said David Mandel, President of Squash Australia. “It is now part of the next Asian Games, the Pan Pacific and of course the Commonwealth Games. It is bringing a new audience of spectators to our sport, as we saw at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. And Australia is and has been a major supporter of this form of our sport, for many years.”
Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley are seeded to retain the Men’s title they won in the 2017 championships in England. Pilley, a former world No.11, is predicted for double gold success in Carrara where he and cousin Donna Lobban are also favourites in the Mixed Doubles.
The 36-year-old from Yamba in New South Wales is a three-time Commonwealth Games Doubles gold medallist – winning the Mixed title in 2018 with Lobban (then Donna Urquhart) and in 2010 with Kasey Brown, and the Men’s Doubles gold in 2014 with David Palmer.
Left-hander Donna Lobban pairs up with Christine Nunn in the Women’s Doubles, in which they are the top seeds. Lobban will be keen to go one better than her Women’s World Doubles success in 2016 when she and Rachael Grinham finished as silver medallists.
Medal success is predicted for Colombia for the first time in the event’s 22-year history. Catalina Pelaez – twice a Pan American Doubles gold medallist – & Ronald Palomino are No.2 seeds in the Mixed competition, while Andrés Herrera & Juan Camilo and sisters Laura Tovar & Maria Tovar are seeded to win Bronze in the Men’s & Women’s events, respectively.
World stage minnows Malta are also expected to shine in Carrara where Bradley Hindle & Kijan Sultana are No.7 seeds in the Men’s event and Colette Sultana & Bradley Hindle are sixth Mixed seeds.
Pools and Seedings.
The full seeding and Pools for the 2019 championships is as follows:
Men’s Doubles:
Pool A
1 Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
4 Nicholas Calvert & Thomas Calvert (AUS)
5 Jean-Pierre Brits & Christo Potgieter (RSA)
8 Madison Eggert & Thomas King (CAN)
9 Robert Andrew Garcia & David Pelino (PHI)
Pool B
2 Zac Alexander & Rex Hedrick (AUS)
3 Andrés Herrera & Juan Camilo Vargas (COL)
6 Darren Chan & Bryan Lim Tze Kang (MAS)
7 Bradley Hindle & Kijan Sultana (MLT)
10 Ravindu Laksiri & Shamil Wakeel (SRI)
*Withdrawn: Diego Elias & Alonso Escudero (PER)
Mixed Doubles:
Pool A
1 Donna Lobban & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
4 Christine Nunn & Ethan Eyles (AUS)
5 Jemyca Aribado & Robert Andrew Garcia (PHI)
Pool B
2 Catalina Pelaez & Ronald Palomino (COL)
3 Alex Haydon & Zac Alexander (AUS)
6 Colette Sultana & Bradley Hindle (MLT)
7 Aysah Dalida & Reymark Begornia (PHI)
Women’s Doubles:
One Pool
1 Donna Lobban & Christine Nunn (AUS)
2 Sarah Cardwell & Jessica Turnbull (AUS)
3 Laura Tovar & Maria Tovar (COL)
4 Taylor Flavell & Selena Shaikh (AUS)
5 Jemyca Aribado & Aysah Dalida (PHI)
Camille Serme on the ball during the Allam British Open in Hull
French star breaks Egyptian monopoly on top three
By SEAN REUTHE
France’s Camille Serme has broken back into the top three of the PSA Women’s World Rankings for the first time since January 2018.
Créteil-based Serme, 30, reached the final of the prestigious Allam British Open final last week and, despite losing out to Egypt’s Nouran Gohar, has risen a spot to break up an all-Egyptian top three for the first time since February.
Egyptian duo Raneem El Welily and Nour El Sherbini stay at No.1 and No.2, respectively, for a seventh successive month, while Gohar’s title-winning exploits in Hull a week ago have seen her move up three places to No.4, which is the 21-year-old’s highest ranking since March 2017.
Nour El Tayeb completes the top five after dropping two places, while New Zealand’s Joelle King falls out of the top five to No.6. England’s Sarah-Jane Perry also drops a place to No.7, while Amanda Sobhy and Tesni Evans are at No.8 and No.9 respectively. Hong Kong’s Annie Au rises a place to complete the top 10.
English duo Alison Waters (No.11), Victoria Lust (No.12), India’s Joshna Chinappa (No.13), Hania El Hammamy (No.15) are all on the rise, with Salma Hany staying at No.14.
Malaysia’s eight-time World Champion Nicol David – who will appear in the rankings for the final time this month after making her last professional appearance at the British Open – moves up two spots to No.16. Egypt’s Yathreb Adel drops a spot to No.17, while Hong Kong’s Joey Chan rises to No.18.
Belgium’s Nele Gilis makes history as the first female Belgian player in history to break the top 20 after moving up five spots to No.19 courtesy of a run to the British Open quarter-finals. United States No.2 Olivia Blatchford Clyne completes the top 20.
PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 20 – June 2019 .
Report by SEAN REUTHE (PSA PR and Media Manager). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA
MoMo rises to career high position of seven in June PSA rankings
Mohamed Abouelghar is one of the most talented and exciting players on the world stage
Egyptian ace Abouelghar on the rise
By SEAN REUTHE
Egypt’s Mohamed Abouelghar has moved up two spots to a career-high No.7 ranking after the PSA Men’s World Rankings were released today (June 1).
The 25-year-old from Cairo reached the quarter-finals of the Allam British Open last week to rise above Peru’s Diego Elias (No.8) and Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez, who falls two places to No.9.
Abouelghar has lit up many tournaments this season, entertaining spectators with his dazzling racket skills and court craft. He is certainly one of the most talented and engaging players on the PSA World Tour, and if he continues the improved levels of fitness and performance he has achieved this season then he is more than capable of putting pressure on all of the players above him in the rankings.
World Champion Ali Farag stays at World No.1 for a fourth month in a row, but the gap between him and World No.2 Mohamed ElShorbagy has been cut to 475 points after the latter beat the former in the British Open final.
Tarek Momen and Karim Abdel Gawad make it an all-Egyptian top four for a second successive month, while Germany’s Simon Rösner completes the top five. New Zealand’s Paul Coll stays at No.6, while India’s Saurav Ghosal takes the final spot in the top 10.
Egypt’s Marwan ElShorbagy moves up 10 places to No.11 following a month in which he won the Wimbledon Open. He sits ahead of compatriot Omar Mosaad (No.12), Welshman Joel Makin (No.13), Egypt’s Zahed Salem (No.14) and Fares Dessouky, who moves up three places to No.15 – his highest ranking since March 2018.
Declan James drops one spot to No.16, with fellow Englishman Daryl Selby rising three places to No.17. France’s Gregoire Marche and former World No.1 James Willstrop drop two places to No.18 and No.19, respectively, while Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly completes the top 20.
PSA Men’s World Rankings Top 20 – June 2019.
Report by SEAN REUTHE (PSA PR and Media Manager). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA
The Tradition RAC squad celebrate winning the PSL title
Winning is a new Tradition for RAC
By WILL JENNINGS
[email protected] put last season’s Premier Squash League (PSL) final heartache behind them to be crowned champions for the first time after sealing a 3-2 victory over Team Pontefract in Surrey today.
It was a dominant display from [email protected], who maintained bragging rights over their opponents after repeating their victory in last season’s semi-finals.
The final marked the climax of another compelling PSL season, a campaign that started with ten teams but was whittled down to two after [email protected]’s and Team Pontefract’s semi-final triumphs over Warwick/Kenilworth and Luxford St George’s Hill respectively.
But it was [email protected] who claimed the ultimate prize in front of a packed out crowd at St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club, with victories from Daryl Selby, Paul Coll and Ben Coleman giving them the title.
Laura Massaro winds up a big backhand against Alison Waters
It wasn’t all plain sailing for [email protected] however, who went 1-0 down after Laura Massaro’s 11-7, 12-14, 11-8 (40m) victory over Alison Waters in the final’s opening match.
It was a compelling duel between the two female players, who continued to repel each other’s advances to take the match to a decider.
But it was former World No.1 Massaro who prevailed, demonstrating all the skill that earned the 2014 World Championship title to overcome her battling opponent.
Team Pontefract’s lead was short-lived, though, as parity was soon restored thanks to Selby’s 11-7, 11-8 win over India’s Ramit Tandon.
Selby’s dominance was then emulated by team-mate Coll, who brushed past India No.1 Saurav Ghosal to claim an assured 11-5, 11-5 victory.
It was an impressive performance by Coll, with the New Zealander proving exactly why he’s the World No.6 to give his side the edge with two matches left to play.
Paul Coll at full stretch against Saurav Ghosal
[email protected]’s victory was sealed after Coleman’s equally dominant 11-4, 11-3 triumph over 16-year-old Sam Todd, who struggled to compete with his opponent’s skill and experience.
With the destination of this season’s trophy already decided, the final match of the day between George Parker and Abhay Singh was wisely shortened to a one game format.
And in a match that had an almost exhibition feel, it was the Malaysian Singh who managed to restore some pride for Pontefract and secure a consolation 13-11 victory.
[email protected]’s triumph will be a sweet one for the London-based side, who narrowly missed out on claiming their inaugural PSL title last season after a 3-2 loss to Luxford St George’s Hill.
But Lee Davies’ team showed great resilience throughout this year’s campaign, putting that disappointment behind them to finish second in the Southern Division and eventually seal the crown.
Celebration time for the RAC team and manager Lee Davies (left)
A delighted Davies said: “I feel fantastic for the team, for the RAC club, and for our sponsor Tradition! It’s a long, hard slog getting this far. We had to take last year on the chin but it’s been a real team effort all season and I’m proud of every one of them!”
The PSL has been another marked success this season, continuing to attract crowds around the country and help further raise the profile of squash.
But it was ultimately [email protected] who were left celebrating, executing a composed display to cap off a thrilling year for the sport.
Premier Squash League 2019 final, St. George’s Hill, Weybridge, Surrey.
[email protected] beat Team Pontefract 3-2:
Alison Waters 1-2 Laura Massaro 7-11, 14-12, 8-11 (40m)
Daryl Selby 2-0 Ramit Tandon 11-7, 11-8 (27m)
Paul Coll 2-0 Saurav Ghosal 11-5, 11-5 (28m)
Ben Coleman 2-0 Sam Todd 11-4, 11-3 (20m)
George Parker 0-1 Abhay Singh 11-13 (13m)
Report by WILL JENNINGS. Edited by ALAN THATCHER.
Pictures by STEVE CUBBINS courtesy of England Squash
DETROIT – Alexander Rossi grabbed his second NTT P1 Award of the year Saturday morning by earning the pole for Saturday afternoon’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Race No. 1.
Rossi earned the sixth pole of his career through the second group in an unusual qualification format that is only used at the Detroit doubleheader. The field is split into two groups, 11 cars each, with 12 minutes of track time.
Rossi’s No. 27 NAPA Honda was the fastest with a lap at 1:14.1989 mph around the 2.35-mile, 14-turn temporary street course at Detroit’s Belle Isle Park. That was faster than first group qualifier Josef Newgarden, whose fast time was 1:14.8272.
“There is never a perfect lap, but it was good enough,” Rossi said. “The Andretti boys have been strong here the last couple of years. It was a matter of going out and executing. This is such a difficult part of the season right now and for the crews to get the cars turned around.
“The team has done a good job all weekend. We have been really strong here in the past and have been able to carry that on here.”
Rossi’s first pole this season came in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in April. It was his second-straight pole at Detroit. He also earned the pole last year for Race No. 2.
It was IndyCar pole No. 41 for Andretti Autosport.
Scott Dixon was third overall at 1:14.3995 followed by Felix Rosenqvist at 1:14.9984. Rookie Colton Herta rounds out the top five at 1:15.0772.
The race is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday.
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