A semi-final defeat but following the close of play on Sunday 25th July at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. medal hopes remain alive for the French combination of Emmanuel LEBESSON and YUAN Jianan.
In the penultimate round the no.8 seeds they were beaten by China’s XU Xin and LIU Shiwen the top seeds (11-5 11-6 13-11 11-7) having earlier in the day prevailed in nail-biting seven games duel against Hong Kong’s WONG Chun Ting and DOO Hoi Kem the no.4 seeds (11-3 6-11 7-11 11-8 9-11 11-7 13-11).
They now meet Chinese Taipei LIN Yun-Ju and CHENG I-Ching the no.3 seeds in the bronze medal contest; XU Xin and LIU Shiwen face Japan’s Jun MIZUTANI and Mima ITO the no.2 seeds in the final.
Jun MIZUTANI and Mima ITO booked their place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s LIN Yun-Ju and CHENG I-Ching the no.3 seeds (11-9 6-11 11-9 11-6 11-6) after having recorded a dramatic full distance quarter-final success in opposition to Germany’s Patrick FRANZISKA and Petrissa SOLJA the no.7 seeds (11-8 5-11 3-11 11-3 9-11 11-8 16-14).
Meanwhile in the second round of the men’s singles event Great Britain’s Paul Drinkhall was the man in form. He upset the order the no.36 seed he beat Austria’s Robert GARDOS no.17 seed and highest ranked player in round two (13-11 6-11 11-4 12-10 11-6). It was the first time on the international stage when Paul DRINKHALL had beaten Robert Gardos he had lost the previous four.
Hard fought success for Paul DRINKHALL it was the same from Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC the no.18 seed. He overcame Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES the no.42 seed (11-2 12-10 5-11 9-11 5-11 15-13 11-8).
Progress to round three likewise places were booked by Emmanuel LEBESSON Austria’s Daniel HABESOHN Panagiotis GIONIS of Greece and Sweden’s Anton KÄLLBERG.
In the second round Emmanuel LEBESSON the no.27 seed beat Croatia’s Andrej Gacina the no.33 seed (11-6 11-8 12-10 13-11) Daniel HABESOHN the no.32 seed accounted for Singapore’s Clarence CHEW the no.57 seed (11-7 11-9 11-8 6-11 12-10).
Similarly Panagiotis GIONIS the no.31 seed defeated Egypt’s Ahmed Ali Saleh the no.35 seed (13-11 11-7 9-11 11-3 11-6) Anton KÄLLBERG the no.29 seed ended the hopes of Nikhil KUMAR of the United States the no.55 seed (11-7 11-5 11-6 11-5).
Alas for Romania’s Ovidiu IONESCU there was no progress; the no.47 seed he was beaten by Brazil’s Gustavo TSUBOI the no.25 seed 911-6 9-11 13-11 11-9 11-9).
Meanwhile in the second round of the women’s singles event the European players to attract the attention were YUAN Jianan and Switzerland’s Rachel MORET.
YUAN Jianan the no.46 seed ended the hopes of Brazil’s Bruna TAKAHASHI the no.23 seed Rachel MORET the no.48 seed accounted for Hungary’s Georgina POTA the no.30 seed (11-9 14-12 11-7 7-11 11-9).
A second round departure for Georgina POTA it was the same for Poland’s Natalia PARTYKA Portugal’s SHAO Jieni and Luxembourg’s NI Xia Lian alongside Ukraine’s Margaryta PESOTSKA and the Czech Republic’s Hana MATELOVA.
The second round in both the men’s singles and women’s singles events will be completed on Monday 26th July the date on which in each discipline the third round will commence.
Additionally the gold and bronze mixed doubles matches will be played.
