Third seeds fall

Korea Republic’s Cho Daeseong and Shin Yubin caused the biggest upset in the opening round of the mixed doubles event; they beat Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit and Lee Ho Ching, the no.3 seeds (9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9).

Success for Cho Daeseong and Shin Yubin followed success for colleagues, Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee, the top seeds. They beat Serbia’s Aleksandar Karakasevic and Izabela Lupulesku (11-6, 13-11, 4-11, 11-5).

Chinese and Japanese pairs make fine starts

Fan Zhendong and Ding Ning made a positive start to their campaign as did Chinese national team colleagues Xu Xin and Zhu Yuling. In the opening round of the mixed doubles event Fan Zhendong and Ding Ning  beat Hungary’s Adam Szudi and Szandra Pergel (11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4); Xu Xin and Zhu Yuling, the no.5 seeds, beat India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta and Manika Batra (11-8, 11-7, 11-5).

Likewise, Japan’s Koki Niwa and Mima Ito, the no.8 seeds, overcame Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador and Adriana Diaz(11-6, 11-9, 11-13, 11-9); Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata received a walk-over when scheduled to face Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej and Tatiana Kukulkova, the no.7 seeds.

Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum Lion Japan Open: Main Draw Schedule – Friday 14th – Sunday 16th June