ITTF Challenge
Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge, Thailand Open
Day One: Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Thailand Open
Qualification complete on Friday 24th May the main draw at the Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Thailand Open commences.
It is a day when the opening two rounds of the men's singles and women's singles event plus the first round of each of the men's doubles and women's doubles events will be completed.
Prithika Pavade set the standard for the first day of play. In the opening series of matches she beat Lee Ka Yee (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
No joy for German top seeds
Men's Doubles: Round One
Germany's Tobias Hippler and Kilian Ort have exited the men's doubles tournament earlier than anticipated: the top seeded partnership were dealt a convincing 3-0 defeat by Singapore's Josh Chua Shao Han and Pang Yew En Koen (11-8, 11-6, 11-6).
Rather astonishingly we also lost the second seeded pair of Kenta Matsudaira and Jin Ueda after the Japanese combination fell to Korea Republic's Baek Hogyun and Seo Hyundeok across four games (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9).
Malaysian pair strike opening round upset
Women's Doubles: Round One
Unseeded for the draw Malaysia's Alice Chang Li Sian and Tee Ai Xin have caused an opening round upset in the women's doubles event eliminating the no.8 seeds from Chinese Taipei, Huang Hsin and Huang Yu-Chiao (15-13, 11-7, 12-10).
Title favourites take advantage
Men's Singles: Round Two
With the top seed now out of the men's singles draw the attention shifted to the second and third seeded players to see whether they could avoid the same fate – the answer was yes!
Japan's Kenta Matsudaira booked his place in the third round courtesy of a straight games victory over Singapore's Clarence Chew (11-6, 11-2, 11-4, 11-6) while German defender Ruwen Filus beat the host nation's Yanapong Panagitgun (16-14, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5).
Another solid outing from Ruwen Filus (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
Top seed suffers shock elimination
There's been a major upset in the race for the men's singles title with top seed Jin Ueda losing out to Korean qualifier Park Gyeongtae in the deciding game (6-11, 16-14, 13-15, 11-9, 5-11, 11-4, 11-5).
Fellow Koreans Cho Jaejun and Seo Hyundeok also progressed but it was a different story for Hwang Jinha, who fell at the hands of Senegal's Ibrahima Diaw (7-11, 14-12, 11-6, 11-4, 10-12, 11-7).
Mixed emotions for Thai competitors
Women's Singles: Round Two
Suthasini Sawettabut will represent Thailand in the last 16 of the women's singles draw following a 4-1 win for the no.4 seed against Chinese Taipei's Liu Hsing-Yin (11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10). But, for no.11 seed Nanthana Komwong it was defeat as she fell to Japan's Shiho Matsudaira across seven games (11-8, 11-9, 4-11, 12-10, 9-11, 7-11, 11-6).
Suthasini Sawettabut books third round spot in Bangkok (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
Satsuki Odo defeated
Named as fifth seed for the women's singles event but Satsuki Odo was stopped at the second attempt with Korea's Lee Nakyung progressing at her expense (11-8, 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 14-12).
However, the news was mostly positive for Japan as top seed Hitomi Sato moved through to round three along with Mitsuho Kimura, Ayane Morita and Honoka Hashimoto.
Jeremy Hazin keeps Canadian flag flying
Men's Singles: Round One
Canada's Jeremy Hazin will join the rest of the successful competitors from the opening round of action in round two after the no.21 seed secured a 4-1 win in his meeting with Chinese Taipei's Tsai Chun-Yu (11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8).
Opening round victory for Jeremy Hazin (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
Celebrations for host nation
Just like Germany in the previous session Thailand also enjoyed three wins, all of them coming against Indian opposition.
Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon, seeded fifth, proved too strong for Birdie Boro (11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 14-12, 11-8), no.9 seed Padasak Tanviriyavechakul beat Sudhanshu Grover (11-7, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-13, 11-9) and qualifier Yanapong Panagitgun got the better of Mudit Dani (11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7).
German trio advance
Kilian Ort is one of three German players to emerge victorious in the 2.25pm session, beating India's Snehit Suravajjula 4-1 (11-4, 9-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6) while Tobias Hippler and Steffen Mengel accounted for USA's Tian Ye (9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3) and Korea Republic's Seo Hongchan (11-6, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3) respectively.
Thrilling from start to finish
No.8 seed Zokhid Kenjaev has fallen at the first hurdle of the men's singles tournament following a fascinating seven game duel against Japanese opponent Takumi Ichinose.
Leading by the close of game five but the Uzbekistan representative couldn't quite get over the finish line, losing the following two games in deuce to exit the competition (9-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 13-11).
Takumi Ichinose topples seeded opposition (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
Dream continues for Senegal
The first male player to reach the main draw of an ITTF Challenge Series event Ibrahima Diaw continues to excite, posting a resounding 4-0 victory over no.17 seed Ethan Poh Shao Feng to progress to round two (11-4, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7).
Perfect start for Jin Ueda
Top seed for the men's singles event Japan's Jin Ueda has breezed through his opening round encounter in Bangkok, producing a perfect display to beat Singapore's Beh Kun Ting at the summit of the draw (11-8, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6).
Korea Republic in focus
Women's Singles: Round One
Impressive performances; Korea Republic's Yun Arin, Hwang Jina and Sim Hyunju caused upsets as the opening round of the women's singles event concluded. Yu Arin beat Singapore's Tan En Hui, no.30 seed (11-8, 11-8, 11-3, 11-9); Hwang Jinha accounted for Chinese Taipei's Li Yu-Jhun, the no.15 seed (11-4, 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6). In a similar manner Sin Hyunju prevailed against Rachel Sung of the United States (11-8, 12-14, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8).
Likewise, Hong Kong's Lee Ka Yee and Japan's Ayami Narumoto caused a surprises. They turned the tables on Korea Republic. Lee Ka Yee ended the hopes of Kim Mingyung, the no.22 seed (11-4, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5), Ayami Narumoto overcame Kim Haeun, the no.24 seed (11-7, 9-11, 11-1, 11-9, 11-2).
Camille Lutz attracts attention
Camille Lutz of France was very much the player to attract the attention as the opening round of the women's singles event progressed.
The 16 year old beat Chinese Taipei's Lin Chia-Hsuan, the no.10 seed (9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7).
Camille Lutz in most impressive form (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
Chinese Taipei trio finds form
Chinese Taipei's Yu Hsiu-Ting, Huang Yu-Chiao and Chien Tung-Chuan caused first round women's singles upsets. Yu Hsiu-Ting overcame India's Divya Deshpande, the no.26 seed (10-12, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8); Huang Yu-Chiao beat Sreeja Akula also from India, the n.27 seed (11-8, 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 10-12, 11-8).
Similarly, Chien Tung-Chuan ended the hopes of Korea Republic's Kim Jimin, the no.31 seed (9-11, 16-14, 14-12, 11-3, 11-7).
Also there was success contrary to predictions for Japan's Ayane Morita; she accounted for Kang Daeyeon, the no.29 seed and also from Korea Republic (11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 1-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-3).
Early upsets, problems for Malaysia
The host nation's Jinnipa Sawettabut alongside Korea Republic's Kim Yedam, India Sutirtha Mukherjee and Japan's Mitsuho Kimura caused the early upsets in the opening round f the women's singles event.
All caused Malaysia problems. Jinnipa Sawettabut beat Ho Ying (6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7), Kim Yedam accounted for Karen Lyne (14-16, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9). Meanwhile, Misuho Kimura overcame Sian Alice Chiang Li (11-7, 11-1, 11-7, 11-6).
Karen Lyne beaten by Kim Yedam (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
Masaki Takami only seed remaining
Under 21 Men's Singles: Quarter-Finals
In the contest involving the only seeded players to reach the quarter-final round of the under 21 men's singles event, Japan's Masaki Takami, the no.3 seed, beat Singapore's Pang Yew En Koen, the no.7 seed (2-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-4, 11-7). He now meets Belgium's Adrien Rassenfosse who accounted for Chinese Taipei's Tai Ming-Wei (11-3, 11-6, 11-7).
In the opposite half of the draw, Korea Republic's Oh Minseo opposes Chinese Taipei's Li Hsin-Yu; at the quarter-final stage both beat colleagues. On Minseo accounted for Baek Hogyun (11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8), Li Hsin-Yu ended the hopes of Huang Yu-Jen (11-6, 11-6, 11-8).
Prithika Pavade impresses
Under 21 Women's Singles: Quarter-Finals
Prithika Pavade of France impressed at the semi-final stage of the under 21 women's singles event. She accounted for Hong Kong's Lee Ka Yee (11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9); she now meets Korea Republic's Yoon Hyobin who overcame Shim Hyunju (11-13, 11-6, 11-4, 11-5).
In the opposite half of the draw an all Japanese semi-final encounter awaits, in the round of the last eight Maki Shiomi beat Chinese Taipei's Chen Tung-Chuan (12-10, 11-5, 11-6); Yuka Umemura ended the hopes the host nation's Jinnipa Sawettabut (11-9, 11-7, 11-5).
Yoon Hyobin who beat Sim Hyunju (Photo: Panichar Junkana)
Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Thailand Open: Schedule of Play (Friday 24th – Sunday 26th May
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Official Table