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Mixed Doubles silver medallists at the LIEBHERR World Championships earlier this year in Paris; on home soil at the Asian Championships in the city of Busan, the partnership of Lee Sangsu and Park Youngsook, was in form on the morning of Wednesday 3rd July 2013.
After overcoming the Chinese Taipei combination of Sun Chia-Hung and Liu Hsing-Yin (11-4, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7), they accounted for the fourth seeded Japanese partnership of Kenta Matsudaira and Kasumi Ishikawa (11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9) to book their place in the quarter-finals.
An upset according to seeding and there was one more as matters progressed to the quarter-final stage; only on this occasion it was the host nation who suffered.
Seo Hyundeok and Seok Hajung, the no.8 seeds, experienced defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan’s Zokhid Kenjaev and Olga Kim (11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-6).
Alas for Uzbekistan the joy soon turned to sadness; in the very next round they were beaten by Thailand’s Chaisit Chaitat and Nanthana Konwong (8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-7).
Earlier than expected departures for two highly seeded pairings, for the others there were no such perils in the third round of affairs, the round prior the quarter-finals; China was notably imperious.
Yan An and Zhu Yuling, the top seeds, booked their place in the quarter-finals by overcoming Thailand’s Nikom Wongsiri and Anisara Muangsuk (11-8, 12-14, 11-4, 11-6).
Similarly, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng, the third seeds, ended the aspirations of Sri Lanka’s Rohan Sirisena and Ishara Madurangi (11-3, 11-13, 11-3, 12-10).
Success for China; there was also success for Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Chinese Taipei.
Gao Ning and Yu Mengyu, the fifth seeds, flew the flag for Singapore; they recorded a third round win over India’s Soumyajit Ghosh and Mouma Das (11-8, 13-11, 11-7).
A convincing win for the Singaporeans, Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi and Lee Ho Ching were equally impressive as were Japan’s Koki Niwa and Sayaka Hirano.
Jiang Tianyi and Lee Ho Ching, the no.7 seeds, reserved their place in the quarter-finals by overcoming the Kazakhstan pairing of Denis Zholudev and Nataliya Sladkova (11-4, 11-5, 11-2).
Also, in like manner Koki Niwa and Sayaka Hirano, the no.6 seeds, ended the aspirations of Vietnam’s Dinh Quang Linh and Mai Hoang My Trang (11-6, 11-3, 11-4).
Straight games wins; for Chuang Chih-Yuan and Huang Yi-Hua life was less comfortable, they beat spirited opposition in the guise of Singapore’s Clarence Chew and Isabelle Siyun Li.
Chuang Chih-Yuan and Huang Yi-Hua recovered from a two games to nil deficit to post a five games win (7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7).
At the quarter-final stage, in the top half of the draw, Yan An and Zhu Yuling meet Gao Ning and Yu Mengyu, Jiang Tianyi and Lee Ho Ching confront Lee Sangsu and Park Youngsook.
Meanwhile, in the lower half, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng face Chaisit Chaitat and Nanthana Komwong, Chiang Hung-Chieh and Huang Yi-Hua oppose Koki Niwa and Sayaka Hirano.
The quarter-final matches take place on Friday 5th July 2013.
Article By: ITTF - Ian Marshall
Photo By: Rémy Gros
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Park Youngsook (left) and Lee Sangsu (right) celebrated in Paris, now in Busan |
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