Penultimate round places at stake thus a major opportunity to gain a precious medal on Wednesday 28th July at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV was the one name that remained.
Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC departed the scene as did HAN Ying also from Germany.
Dimitrij OVTCHAROV the no.7 seed recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat Brazil’s Hugo CALDERANO the no.4 seed (7-11 5-11 11-8 11-7 11-8 11-2); a surprise according to status but not when considering history. Dimitrij OVTCHAROV had won both prior international exchanges; in the ITTF World Tour he prevailed in 2014 in Qatar and in 2019 in the Czech Republic.
“He played extremely strong in the first two games hitting every ball and missing nothing. He put a lot of pressure on me and I couldn’t find my game but I just told myself to stay in it and wait for my chance which eventually came. I could tell he really wanted to close out the third game and I started to spot the pressure on him using it to my advantage. Suddenly something shifted in the game and I was on top. I’m feeling tired after this match but I’m excited for tomorrow so I’ll rest sleep and give my all tomorrow ” said OVTCHAROV.
Alas for Darko JORGIC the no.18 seed it was the end of what proved to be a most memorable adventure a quarter-final men’s singles place was beyond expectations.
He experienced defeat at the hands of Chinese Taipei’s LIN Yun-Ju the no.5 seed (11-4 11-7 11-4 11-6).
Thus the decision of their one previous international meeting was reversed. At the 2016 World Junior Championships in Cape Town Darko JORGIC had prevailed.
Defeat in straight games for Darko JORGIC at the corresponding stage of the women’s singles event the outcome was the same for HAN Ying. The no.12 seed the consistency of China’s SUN Yingsha the no.2 seed proved too great (11-8 11-3 11-8 11-6).
Success for SUN Yingsha as status advised it was the same for colleague CHEN Meng the top seed. She beat Hong Kong’s DOO Hoi Kem the no.8 seed (6-11 6-11 11-6 11-9 11-1 11-8)
It was the same for the host nation’s Mima Ito the no.3 seed she accounted for Korea Republic’s Jeon Jihee the no.7 seed (11-5 11-1 12-10 11-6).
However there was an upset. Singapore’s YU Mengyu the no.26 seed ousted Japan’s Kasumi ISHIKAWA the no.5 seed (8-11 11-5 14-12 11-6 11-2).
Women’s singles: semi-finals
11.00 CHEN Meng (CHN) v YU Mengyu (SGP)
12.00 Mima ITO (JPN) v SUN Yingsha (CHN)
20.00 Bronze Medal Match
21.00 Gold Medal Match
Meanwhile in the men’s singles FAN Zhendong the top seed overcame Korea Republic’s JEOUNG Youngsik the no.10 seed (12-10 11-9 11-6 11-5); Ma Long the no.2 seed ended the adventures of Egypt’s Omar ASSAR the no.28 seed (11-7 11-9 11-6 11-13 11-6).
Men’s singles: semi-final
15.00 FAN Zhendong (CHN) v LIN Yun-Ju (TPE)
16.00 Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) v MA Long (CHN)
The semi-finals of the women’s singles will be played on Thursday 29th July followed by the bronze medal and gold medal matches; also the men’s singles semi-finals will be played.
However the bronze and gold medal men’s singles contests will be staged on Friday 30th July.
