13 April 2013
　

Mixed Fortunes for Singapore and Japan in Hong Kong
　

The host’s Tang Peng and DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong emerged successful in the qualification play-off round of the Men’s Singles event at the GAC GROUP Asian Cup in Hong Kong on the morning of Saturday 13^th April 2013 after the initial contests to start the day had witnessed mixed fortunes for Japan.

In the Women’s event, Kasumi Ishikawa emerged successful but alas for the Land of the Rising Sun it was defeat for Sayaka Hirano.

Mixed fortunes for Japan and it was the same for Singapore.

Yu Mengyu accounted for Sayaka Hirano in four straight games (12-10, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8), prior to Yang Zi having suffered defeat at the hands of DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong in six games (11-13, 7-11, 11-6, 14-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-9).

Success for Japan came the guise of Kasumi Ishikawa overcoming Thailand’s Nanthana Komwong in six games (9-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-1, 11-4, 11-1) with Tang Peng being the player to put smiles on the faces of the host nation by overcoming India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta (13-11, 7-11, 5-11, 11-1, 11-8, 11-9)

Excelling from the backhand, Yu Mengyu made full use of the table to overcome Sayaka Hirano; time and again Sayaka Hirano was at full stretch as the Singaporean created angles to record a most impressive victory over a very worthy adversary.

A good start and Yu Mengyu gained in confidence as the match progressed; for Kasumi Ishikawa it was a very different scenario.

She had to withstand an onslaught from Nanthana Komwong; the 32 year old Thai player who alongside Anissara Komwong, sitting courtside as coach, has been her country’s leading player for over a decade, overpowered Kasumi Ishikawa in the first two games.

However, after the end of the second game the tornado expired. Kasumi Ishikawa assumed control and a place in the quarter-finals was booked with eventual ease.

Meanwhile in the Men’s Singles qualification round, Tang Peng after winning the first game, the losing the next two seized control against Sharath Kamal Achanta to secure his place in the main draw.

Somewhat strangely in the third game, trailing 1-6, he called “Time Out”, he lost the game comfortably before dominating the fifth game and controlling the sixth.

Disappointment for Sharath Kamal Achanta and it was intense disappointment for Yang Zi.

Leading by three games to two, he established a 7-3 lead in the sixth games, only to see Kim Hyok Bong recover, level proceedings and in the seventh game after one match point had been saved, securing victory.

Women: Qualification Play-Off Round

Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) bt Nanthana Komwong (THA) 9-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-1, 11-4, 11-3

Yu Mengyu (SIN) bt Sayaka Hirano (JPN) 12-10, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8

Men: Qualification Play-Off Round

Tang Peng (HKG) bt Sharath Kamal Achanta (IND) 13-11, 7-11, 5-11, 11-1, 11-8, 11-7)

Yang Zi (SIN) by Kim Hyok Bong (PRK) 11-13, 7-11, 11-6, 14-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-9

Women: Quarter-Finals

Liu Shiwen (CHN) v Jiang Huajun (HKG)

Yu Mengyu (SIN) v Seok Hajung (KOR)

Wu Yang (CHN) v Yang Haeun (KOR)

Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) v FENG Tianwei (SIN)

Men: Quarter-Finals

Xu Xin (CHN) v Kim Hyok Bong (PRK)

Chuang Chih-Yuan(TPE) v Jiang Tianyi (HKG)

Chen Chien-An (TPE) v Noshad Alamiyan (IRI)

Tang Peng (HKG) v Yan An (CHN)

Article by: Ian Marshall