Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum Lion Japan Open
Three times the winner more than any other player in the history of an ITTF World Tour tournament in Japan Germany’s Timo BOLL experienced a shock first round Men’s Singles exit at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum Lion Japan Open in Tokyo.
Timo BOLL the no.6 seed experienced an opening round defeat at the hands of China’s quicksilver 22 year old Lin Gaoyuan (11-6 11-7 6-11 11-5 11-8).
In the Women’s Singles event Singapore’s FENG Tianwei and the host nation’s Kasumi ISHIKAWA both medallists at the recent LIEBHERR 2017 World Championships suffered shock defeats.
Kasumi ISHIKAWA the no.3 seed was beaten in the opening round by 18 year old WANG Manyu (6-11 11-8 11-6 14-12 11-7); a confidence boosting success in the second round the teenager continued her good form. She overcame Romania’s Elizabeta SAMARA the 2015 European champion (11-7 12-10 11-7 11-7) a player in form. In the opening round she had caused Singapore more heartache by beating YU Mengyu the no.16 seed (11-7 11-8 11-6 11-5).
Meanwhile for FENG Tianwei twice the champion after an opening round win against Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA (11-8 12-10 8-11 11-2 4-11 11-5) she suffered one round later at the hands of 16 year old SUN Yingsha (11-8 8-11 11-4 11-7 12-10).
In the Men’s Doubles after the conclusion of the quarter-finals the names of the nations that will contest the final are known. Japan will oppose China.
At the semi-final stage Masataka MORIZONO and Yuya OSHIMA the top seeds face Japanese colleagues Koki NIWA and Maharu YOSHIMURA the no.6 seeds; MA Long and XU Xin the no.2 seed confront Asian champions and qualifiers in Tokyo FAN Zhendong and LIN Gaoyuan.
Similarly in the Women’s Doubles event there is strong Chinese and Japanese interest. In the penultimate round Japan’s top seeded Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato meet Chinese qualifiers Chen Xingtong and Sun Yingsha; in the opposite half of the draw Korea’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun the no.2 seeds meet Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu and Cheng I-Ching the no.7 seeds.
The semi-finals and finals of both the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events will be played on Saturday 17th June.
