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Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang at the right age?
Both required to negotiate the qualification stage, in the opening round of the men’s singles event both caused upsets.
Benedikt Duda, in particular, was in scintillating form; he accounted for Japan’s Koki Niwa, the no.5 seed, in four straight games (11-9, 11-6, 18-16, 11-8). In a rather more demanding contest, Qiu Dang recovered from a two games to nil deficit to overcome Frenchman, Simon Gauzy, the no.8 seed (14-16, 6-11, 15-13, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8).
Outstanding performances and a continuation of this year’s incredible form; notably at ITTF Challenge Series tournaments each has excelled, Benedikt Duda reached the final in Spain where lost to Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko; one week later in Portugal, Qiu Dang emerged the winner.
Consistency
To date, commencing with the ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, in men’s singles events on the international stage, Benedikt Duda has played 15 matches, he has lost just two; in addition to the defeat at the hands of Kirill Gerassimenko, in Magdeburg he was beaten in the second round by China’s Zhao Zihao. Moreover, Zhao Zihao needed the full seven games to end the German’s progress (7-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8).
Meanwhile, for Qiu Dang he has played 14 matches and he has experienced just one men’s singles defeat; in the first round in Magdeburg he was beaten by a player of some repute, China’s Ma Long, the reigning Olympic and European champion.
Junior careers not of note
Now, note their ages, Benedikt Duda is 25 years old, Qiu Dang is two years younger; are they not starting to blossom at just the right age?
Benedikt Duda competed in the World Junior Championships in 2012 in Hyderabad, Qiu Dang the following year in Rabat. In 2017 in Sochi, Qiu Dang was the runner up in the Europe Under 21 Championships but neither enjoyed a highly successful junior careers. They cannot compare with the likes Fan Zhendong when he was a teenager, or in present day times the performances of Tomokazu Harimoto or Lin Yun-Ju.
However, the same applied to Austria’s Werner Schlager who became World champion in 2003 in Paris, he never hit the headlines as a junior; it was the same for Sweden’s Peter Karlsson who, three years earlier was crowned European champion, in 2000 in Bremen.
Looking over shoulder
Now in the not too distant future, could such chances come the way of Benedikt Duda or Qiu Dang? Timo Boll and Dimitrij Ovtcharov are the accepted leading lights in the German team but should the next in line, Patrick Franziska be looking over his shoulder?
In Budapest, he was the biggest name to depart in the opening round of the men’s singles event; the no.4 seed, he was beaten by Takuya Jin (11-9, 12-14, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6), at the ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open he experienced the same fate, he lost to Mizuki Oikawa, also from Japan (6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 11-1).
Germany ever stronger in depth but does that give Jörg Rosskopf, the national coach, a difficult decision to make for future selection? In some ways it is an enviable position but certainly he has food for thought.
Owen Cathcart and Prithika Pavade win in Örebro
The no.5 seed, at the final hurdle Owen Cathcart beat Dorian Zheng, the top seed (11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9), after in the later rounds the Frenchman had ousted Russia’s Maksim Kaburkin (11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6), followed by success in opposition to Singapore’s Izaac Quek Yong, the no.3 seed (11-5, 12-10, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6).
In the opposite half of the draw, in the same rounds, Owen Cathcart had ousted Mikhail Tsyhanouski of Belarus (11-8, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8), prior to ending the hopes of Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo, the no.5 seed (10-12, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9, 11-3).
Success for Owen Cathcart, who plays in Sweden for Halmstad in the second division of the national league, it was his first such title but one more to add to his collection, in 2017 he won the cadet boys’ singles titles in Serbia and Slovenia.
“Yes, it was unexpected. I’m moving faster at the table and the final was my best performance during the day. The reason I won was because I was more aggressive and played strongly with my forehand topspin. My big goal this season is of course the European Youth Championships this summer in Zagreb,” Owen Cathcart
Crucial match
More success for Owen Cathcart, it was the same for Prithika Pavade; in 2018 she won the cadet girls’ singles title at the Swedish Junior and Cadet Open.
The top seed, in the final she beat Singapore’s Ser Lin Qian, the no.12 seed (11-7, 11-5, 11-6, 11-4), having at the semi-final stage secured victory in the match on which all eyes focused.
After recording a quarter-final win against Russia’s Vlada Voronina, the no.7 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9), she ended the progress of Japan’s Miwa Harimoto, the no.13 seed (13-11, 13-11, 7-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9). Thus she ended the 27 match winning streak of the 11 year old that had started just over one week ago on Wednesday 12th February at the Czech Junior and Cadet Open.
In the opposite half of the draw, in the later rounds, Ser Lin Qian had beaten Russia’s Liubov Tentser, the no.15 seed (16-14, 11-8, 4-11, 3-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2), prior to halting the progress of Norway’s Martine Toftaker, the no.10 seed (8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10).
“I played very well. In the two years between the victory in the cadet class and today, most in my game I have improved my service. I now have good serves, I have a quick backhand and I can put a lot of spin on my first attack on forehand.” Prithika Pavade
Notably for Prithika Pavade it was her second ITTF World Junior Circuit girls’ singles title; last year she won on home soil in Metz.
Titles for Russia and Japan
Meanwhile, in the junior boys’ doubles, it was success for Russia’s Rusian Cherekes and Maksim Kaburkin; at the final hurdle they beat the combination of Mikhail Tsyhanouski and Panama’s Jacob Vahnish (11-3, 4-11, 11-4, 12-10).
Success for Russia, in the junior girls’ doubles it was success for Japan; Sachi Aoki and Miwa Harimoto claimed the title at the final expense of Liubov Tentser and Vlada Voronina (11-7, 11-5, 14-16, 11-8).
Attention now turns to the mini-cadet boys’ singles and mini-cadet girls’ singles events; in addition the Elite class in both the men’s singles and women’s singles competitions is on the agenda.
Success in Ostrava, Billy Shilton shines on opening day in Wladyslawowo
Four groups in the initial stage of play, not seeded, Billy Shilton accounted for Sweden’s Anton Grankvist (11-7, 11-6, 11-3), before causing a major upset by beating Frenchman, Thomas Bouvais, the top seed (3-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7).
Confident, the young man, who is based at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, completed his initial phase contests in style. He overcame Hungary’s Gyula Zborai in straight games (11-8, 11-4, 11-6). A place in the quarter-finals booked, the good form continued; Billy Shilton prevailed against Russia’s Artem Iakolev (11-7, 11-6, 11-9) to reserve a podium finish.
Progress to the penultimate round against the odds, in fact it is the same for all four semi-finalists; none appeared amongst the top four seeded names at the start of play. Thomas Bouvais, who finished in second place in the group, experienced a quarter-final defeat at the hands of the host nation’s Piotr Grudzien (17-15, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5), Sweden’s Linus Karlsson, the no.2 seed, had to settle for third place in his group; for Belgium’s Marc Ledoux, the no.3 seed as well as for Poland’s Marcin Skrzynecki, the no.4 seed, it was a quarter-final exit.
Hungary’s Andras Csonka ended the hopes of Marc Ledoux (7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5), Slovakia’s Richard Csejty overcame Marcin Marcin Skrzynecki (9-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10). At the semi-final stage Billy Shilton meets Andreas Csonka, Piotr Grudzien faces Richard Csejty.
Problems for Rafal Lis
Problems for the top seed in class 8, it was the same in class 4; Poland’s Rafal Lis was beaten by Slovakia’s Boris Travnicek (11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 10-12, 12-10) and had to settle for second place in the group. Players finishing in first and second positions in each first stage group advance to the main draw; thus a semi-final place was reserved, hopes remain alive.
Otherwise, for the top seeds in the remaining men’s singles events, it was first place in the group, progress to the knock-out stage where as in class 4, play is yet to start.
Korea Republic’s Joo Youngdae (class 1) and Chile’s Louis Bustamente Flores (class 2) alongside Poland’s Maciej Nalepka (class 3) and Norway’s Tommy Urhaug (class 5) duly secured top spots. It was the same in the standing categories for Chile’s Cristian Dettioni (class 6), Germany’s Bjoern Schnake (class 7) and Great Britain’s Josh Stacey (class 9), as it was for Poland’s Patryk Chojnowski (class 10) and Hungary Peter Palos (class 11).
Second place for Kang Oejeong
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles events there was one notable casualty. Korea Republic’s Kang Oejeong, the top seed in class 4-5, had to settle for second place in her group; she was beaten by Turkey’s Irem Oluk (4-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-8). Notably Irem Oluk remained unbeaten to secure first position.
An upset, not in the remaining categories; the top seeds all ended the day unbeaten. Croatia’s Andela Muzinic (class 2-3) enjoyed success, as did Germany’s Stephanie Grebe (class 6), Norway’s Aida Dahlen (class 7-8). Likewise it was top spot for the Turkish duo of Neslihan Kavas (class 9) and Merve Demir (class 10), a situation that applied also to Hong Kong’s Ng Mui Wui (class 11).
Play in the individual events concludes on Friday 21st February.
Rory McIlroy back to old putter after tinkering at Genesis
MEXICO CITY – It was one hole that cost Rory McIlroy at last week's Genesis Invitational, with the world No. 1 pointing out he played the other 17 holes in even par on Sunday.
McIlroy also added that he took plenty of positives out of his tie for fifth despite the fact he’d started the final round tied for the lead before a double-bogey 7 at the fifth hole dropped him out of contention.
But if it was his approach shot that airmailed the green at the fifth at Riviera that cost him, it was his putter that paid the price. McIlroy revealed following an opening 65 on Day 1 at the WGC-Mexico Championship that he switched back to his regular putter this week after experimenting with a longer shaft in Los Angeles.
“My right arm can get a little high and my right shoulder can sort of roll over, but with a 35 [inch shaft] it sort of puts my shoulder and my right elbow into better position, sort of more on plane with the shaft,” said McIlroy, who leads Bubba Watson and Justin Thomas by one stroke. “Once I got out there, just that [three-quarter inch] difference in the putter, it moves your eye line and you sort of stop seeing your lines the way you usually do.”
Although his putting was solid in Los Angeles, he finished 27th in the field in putts per GIR, it was vastly improved at Club de Golf Chapultepec where he was fourth in strokes gained: putting (3.62) in Round 1.
When Peter Siddle retired from international cricket in the midst of last year's Boxing Day Test at the MCG, Michael Neser was doing what he has been for most of the past two years - warming up with the Australian Test squad, training with them, bowling to them and living every moment with them.
Everything, that is, except actually playing alongside them. Since he was first chosen in the group that went to the UAE to play Pakistan in October 2018, Neser's bearded face and pleasant countenance have been a fixture at the fringes, as he patiently awaits his chance to showcase the swinging and seaming skills he has demonstrated so ably for Queensland, the Adelaide Strikers and, on occasion, the Australian side in tour matches.
Siddle's decision to step aside has been both a source of pain but also opportunity for Neser: without the older Victorian ahead of him anymore, Neser has lost a source of advice in the dressing room but gained a place on the ladder towards selection. He will get another chance to push his case for Australia A against the England Lions at the MCG from Saturday.
"He helped me heaps with my game as well, so him retiring is a downer for me as well because I was learning so much off him," Neser said. "He was great around the squad and helped everyone, so fortunately for me, I'm still around him with the Strikers, so I'm still learning a lot off him and I suppose Siddsy's done a great job for Australia for many years, so it's sad to see him go.
"I learned a lot playing with him at the Strikers actually, in the moment, and just him helping me go through my thought process at the top of my mark. The thing with him, he makes sure you have a clear plan, he's very calm under those pressure situations, so I just see how he goes about it and just little things rub off. His work ethic is amazing, sticking with him at his age and he's still one of the most energetic guys in the squad, so it's inspiring and great to watch.
"There are little tricks here and there that he'll help with. The main thing with Siddsy is he changed his career from being a fast, out and out pace bowler to a more skilful swing bowler and it's transformed the way he bowled. I think it's a credit to him because he showed he's more than a one-trick pony. He's been such a skilful bowler and still is. Unfortunately, Queensland have him at the Gabba this coming up game with the Dukes, so he'll be a handful for the Queensland batters!"
Reflecting on his past 18 months in and around the Australian squad, Neser spoke of the privilege and the challenge with a strong sense of equanimity. It is no disgrace, after all, to be kept out of the Test team by Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and Siddle - there are plenty of other Test sides around the world for whom Neser may already have played 20 or so matches. Before Boxing Day, he was talked up as a chance to play as a fifth bowler, only for the captain Tim Paine to subsequently describe it as a ruse to fool New Zealand.
"I genuinely have no clue! Hopefully, I was close," Neser said when asked how much of a chance he had had to play. "[The coach Justin Langer] said be ready, you never know what might happen. He pushes with all our players to be ready, no matter if you're a shoo-in or on the side, that's what he drills into us, to always be ready.
"It's a rollercoaster of emotions. I love being in the squad and it's a great honour as well, but at the same time I'm itching to go and I see where I stand in the pecking order though. Our bowlers have performed so well, so it's kind of hard for me to fit into that line-up when they're all going so strongly and playing well. But if the opportunity comes, fingers crossed I'll be ready."
A surfeit of withdrawals ahead of the Australia A match - Pattinson, Marcus Stoinis and Will Pucovski among them - have heightened Neser's role, and underlined why he would do well to closely follow Siddle's blueprint for durability in the game. And while there will likely be only a paltry crowd in attendance, Neser is one of many players on the fringe to benefit from the experience of excelling under the crowd and broadcast pressure of the BBL.
"Definitely it does [help], it adds an extra element of nerves and it's great with Big Bash, we experience that feeling around the ground," Neser said. "When I was sitting here with the Ashes watching that first ball and the crowd was absolutely amazing here with a full house, so it does add an extra element. It's really intense when the crowd is going like that, and to be blooded in Big Bash and to experience that is less daunting."
A four-day fixture against an England Lions team featuring numerous members of the Test side will be the ideal opportunity for Neser to demonstrate that, in the wake of Siddle, he can be the reliable operator Australia are sure to need on tough days in the future.
Warriors rule out Thompson's return this season
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Golden State Warriors have officially ruled out Klay Thompson for the season as he continues to rehab a torn left ACL suffered in June.
"This is what I expected from the beginning given the severity of the injury," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before Thursday night's game against the Houston Rockets. "And the normal timetable [for recovery], and so here we are. It's no surprise."
Thompson initially suffered the injury on June 13, 2019, during Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. He had surgery July 2.
The Warriors' announcement doesn't come as a surprise; Kerr had hinted at this outcome since the beginning of the training camp. Kerr noted that the Warriors' medical staff ultimately made the final call and that Thompson remains on track to be ready for the start of the 2020-21 season.
Kerr also said the possibility of Thompson playing for Team USA in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics hasn't been ruled out yet.
"It's not off the table," the coach said. "It's still a possibility. We haven't really discussed it. I think the [Olympic] team meets in July, so it's still quite a ways away. But it's really not anything we're discussing at this point. It's still a possibility ... obviously his health is the No. 1 concern, and so we'll kind of cross that bridge when we come to it."
Thompson, who helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has been open about wanting to represent the Americans again, especially with Kerr now an assistant on Gregg Popovich's staff. But that decision won't come for another several months as the Warriors keep a close eye on Thompson's recovery.
In the meantime, Kerr is happy to see the All-Star swingman's progress and watch him shooting around with his younger teammates on the practice floor in recent weeks.
"Klay was expecting this," Kerr said. "It's been a very frustrating year for Klay, but I think he's almost out of the woods. He's a couple months away from this season ending and moving towards a summer of preparing for the next season with his teammates. I think that's a much better place for him to be emotionally.
"I've really felt bad for him -- Klay loves to play basketball so much. He loves this game, and it means so much to him. In some ways he's kind of been lost without it. He's been so anxious to be out there on the floor helping his teammates. He sees all these young guys, he sees our struggles, he wants to be out there, but it's been a long haul."
Cousins hopes to join Lakers for playoff run
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers were quiet at the trade deadline and have yet to acquire any pieces off the buyout or free-agency market as they prepare for the stretch run. Could four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, yet to play a game this season as he recovers from a torn ACL in his left knee, become an added weapon come playoff time?
Cousins seems to think so.
Appearing as a guest on Showtime's "All the Smoke" podcast with hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Cousins explained what his role could look like in the postseason.
"We got a big team. It's going to be some bump, for sure," Cousins said. "We got so many guys with different abilities. I mean, I can spot up. Bron [LeBron James] is going to draw everybody whenever he decides to move. I'm pretty confident I can knock down the shot. We got shooters all over the floor. I mean, I can playmake. Like, it's pick your poison."
James was asked if the team is thinking about Cousins' eventual return.
"Listen, first, his health is the thing we're mostly engaging in and watching him. And he's progressed every single day, every single month," James said after practice Thursday, the Lakers' first group session following the All-Star break. "To the point where he was limping and now he's actually shooting and actually jumping on the jump shots, and progressing every single day, every single week. He's out there right now, getting his work done.
"We want to continue to stay optimistic about his health. We don't want no setbacks, as he's had before in the last couple years. But his health is most important, and if we can get Cuz anywhere back to what he was capable of doing a couple years ago, it's a plus for us. But there's no pressure on him. There's no pressure on our ballclub to have him out there right away, or whenever that case may be. We want him to be healthy and have a great, clear mind and a great attitude, which he's done since he's gotten here."
Lakers coach Frank Vogel maintained his stance that the team is allowing for the possibility that Cousins returns, but did not go much deeper than that.
"There is no date, and there's really no specifics on it in terms of, I'm not even sure where he's at with exactly what he's doing day to day. I just still know he's a long way away, but they've said they're not ruling out him returning. That's really all I can give you," he said. "I just know he's not close. As he starts getting close, it could be a review thing, because [the training staff will] come to me and let me know."
Cousins could be seen having a discussion with Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka, as well as with Lakers senior basketball adviser Kurt Rambis, on the turf field across from the Lakers' practice facility Thursday.
Cousins' 66-minute podcast appearance certainly provided plenty of material to talk about.
The 10-year veteran addressed the criminal charges that have since been dropped stemming from an audio recording in which Cousins' ex-girlfriend alleges he threatened to shoot her in the head when it became apparent their child was not going to be present for Cousins' wedding.
"It's an unfortunate situation. So, you know, I had a special moment in my life. I wanted all my family to be there. A little piece of happiness going through whatever I'm going through. Things didn't work out the way I wanted it to for my day. I was little upset. So I said some things I shouldn't have said but that person knew where it was coming from," Cousins said on the podcast. "I mean, I've seen a lot of things, heard a lot of stuff -- don't get me wrong, I'm 100 percent against domestic violence. Like, 100 percent. I watched my mother go through that as a child. So when it comes to that, I'm the first advocate for that. But with that being said, I said the wrong thing. Heat of the moment. We've all done it. ... We've all done it. ...
"My mama's said way worse, you know what I'm saying? But when it comes to your kids, it's a whole other situation and I'm pretty sure anybody with kids can speak on that. But it was still wrong."
ESPN's request to speak to Cousins on Thursday was declined by the Lakers.
Cousins also blamed himself for the August pickup run he participated in when his injury occurred.
"I fly home that day, I went to the gym," he explained on the podcast. "I had just landed. Damn near [cross country]. And I'm like, I don't want to miss no days in the gym. I'm getting into that mode, you know what I'm saying? I don't want to miss no days. So I go to the gym, I get there a little late ... I didn't have no business being out there. I just wanted to get my burn, like something, to make sure that I had a productive day. I had no business out there. Last play. Last basket of the game."
Cousins also praised James for being "a real dude" and revealed that he has tried to convince him to run for political office.
"I told him the other day, I'm like, 'Bro,' ... he's probably going to get pissed [when he hears this]. 'Bro, you need to run for president,'" Cousins said on the podcast. "If there's anybody ... if there's any NBA player to do it: LeBron James.
"And he's going to do it the right way. I mean, obviously that's just me talking and my opinion. He probably feels totally different. But I think he could do it. He has that type of impact, influence and just being a genuine person."
James smiled when Cousins' suggestion was brought up, but won't be looking to hire him as his press secretary anytime soon.
"No, I'm not considering it," James said. "And yes, he's said it a few times as the season's been on. So, nah. I appreciate it."
Young's career-high 50 leads Hawks past Heat
ATLANTA -- Trae Young didn't attribute his first 50-point game to confidence gained from his first All-Star start.
Belief in himself has never been a problem for the high-scoring guard with a fondness for 30-foot jumpers.
Young had a career-high 50 points and the Atlanta Hawks scored the last 10 points of the game to beat the Miami Heat 129-124 on Thursday night.
Young made 18 of 19 free throws and 8 of 15 3-pointers to set his scoring high in his first game after starting in the NBA All-Star Game.
"I've always had confidence in myself," Young said when asked if he was boosted by the All-Star Game experience.
Young scored 20 points in the final period. It was the third time this season Young scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, breaking a tie with Bulls guard Zach LaVine for the most 20-point fourth quarters this season.
"A big game from our leader," Atlanta's John Collins said. "We got some big plays from our big-time guy."
The Heat had no answer for Young's barrage of 3-pointers, many from well beyond the line.
"He just got into such an incredible rhythm," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's pulling up from 6 feet behind the line. ... There's not a lot of things you can do about that."
Young became the fourth-youngest player in league history to score 50 points in a game, trailing Brandon Jennings, LeBron James -- who did it three times -- and Devin Booker, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information.
Young also broke a tie with Shaquille O'Neal for most 40-point games by a player in his first two seasons in the league since the 1976-77 merger with his 11th such game.
Bam Adebayo had 28 points and a season-high 19 rebounds for Miami. Adebayo, the NBA All-Star skills champion, added seven assists.
Miami couldn't hold a 124-119 lead. After De'Andre Hunter's tying 3-pointer, Cam Reddish scored with 31 seconds remaining following his steal from Goran Dragic to give the Hawks a 126-124 lead. Young's two free throws increased the lead to four points.
Kevin Huerter and Hunter each scored 17 points for Atlanta.
Young hit a jumper for Atlanta's first field goal of the final period. On the Hawks' next possession, Young's crossover dribble had Andre Iguodala on his heels, and Young then sank a long 3-pointer for a 97-all tie.
"He's shooting 50-footers," Adebayo said. "At the end of the day, you've got to live with that."
With Hawks fans still buzzing after watching Young's knee-buckling fake on replays during a timeout, Iguodala answered with back-to-back baskets, including a 3-pointer, as Miami reclaimed the lead.
Young wasn't finished. He kept the Hawks close by scoring 14 of Atlanta's first 18 points of the final period. Young's three-point play tied the game at 119-all.
Miami led 36-32 after the first period before a shooting drought in the second quarter as Atlanta took the lead with a 15-0 run. After trailing 41-37, Atlanta led 52-41 after the run, capped by Hunter's 3-pointer.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Key moments: top names progress, seeds fall, massive goal ever closer
In the men’s singles event progress for the seeded names was the exception rather than the rule……..
Seeds fall like pins in a bowling alley
No less than 10 seeded players departed at the expense of qualifiers in the opening round of the men’s singles event; the biggest name to fall being Germany’s Patrick Franziska, the no.4 seed, he was beaten by Japan’s Takuya Jin (11-9, 12-14, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6).
Success against the odds for Japan, there was more, Yukiya Uda beat Kanak Jha of the United States, the no.12 seed (11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6), Shunsuke Togami overcame Austria’s Daniel Habesohn, the no.15 seed (12-14, 11-8, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9). Conversely, Koki Niwa, the no.5 seed, lost to Germany’s Benedikt Duda (11-9, 11-6, 18-16, 11-8), Jun Mizutani, the no.6 seed, was forced to withdraw through a neck injury when due to face the Czech Republic’s Pavel Sirucek
Good form Benedikt Duda, it was the same from colleague, Qiu Dang. He overcame Frenchman Simon Gauzy, the no.8 seed (14-16, 6-11, 15-13, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8). Also Robert Gardos balanced the books for Austria. He accounted for Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, the no.7 seed (11-3, 15-13, 14-12, 11-7).
Not to be outdone Poland’s Jakub Dyjas beat Denmark’s Jonathan Groth, the no.13 seed (7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-5), Panagiotis Gionis of Greece defeated the host nation’s Bence Majoros, the no.16 seed (8-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-6, 14-12, 11-6). Meanwhile, Frenchman Alexandre Cassin secured the biggest scalp of his career. He ended the hopes of Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus, the no.10 seed (11-1, 12-10, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10).
Top names negotiate opening round
The very top names in the men’s singles event enjoyed opening round success but in contrasting fashions. Tomokazu Harimoto recorded a straight games win against Slovakia’s Wang Yang (11-6, 11-4, 11-5, 11-9); Brazil’s Hugo Calderano eventually overcame Hong Kong’s Lam Siu Hang (11-4, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5).
In the women’s singles, there were no such problems for Mima Ito or Kasumi Ishikawa. Mima Ito beat Luxembourg’s Ni Xia Lian (12-10, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9); Kasumi Ishikawa overcame colleague, Haruna Ojio (11-6, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7).
A surprise defeat in the men’s singles for Wong Chun Ting but in both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles, in each instance the top seed, it was success. In the former partnering Ho Kwan, there was an opening round win against Romania’s Cristian Pletea and Rares Sipos (11-8, 11-7, 11-8); in the latter on duty with Doo Hoi Kem, it was it was success in opposition to Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador and Adriana Diaz (11-2, 6-11, 11-5, 12-10).
Keeping her nerve
India’s Manika Batra was very much the player of the day; without doubt the player to keep focused when crisis loomed.
Required to qualify, in the opening round of the mixed doubles event, partnering compatriot Sharath Kamal Achanta, the duo recovered from a two games to one deficit to beat Hungary’s Adam Szudi and Szandra Pergel the no.5 seeds (11-8, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7), the pair that one year earlier had reached the final, losing to China’s Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen.
Later in the day Manika Batra performed an even more dramatic recovery and caused an even bigger upset. She lost the first three games against Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu, the no.11 seed, stood on the precipice of defeat in the fourth, before eventually winning a nail-biting seventh (9-11, 4-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7, 14-12)
Europe Top 16 champions depart
Winners at the most recent Europe Top 16 tournaments, Romania’s Bernadette Szocs in 2018, Germany’s Petrissa Solja in 2019 and earlier this year, both departed in the opening round of the women’s singles event.
Bernadette Szocs, the no.7 seed, lost to Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto (11-6, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7), Petrissa Solja was beaten by colleague Nina Mittelham (11-3, 11-8, 11-5, 3-11, 4-11, 11-4).
Meanwhile for those who had suffered at the hands of Petrissa Solja earlier this month at CCB Europe Top 16 there was notable success; they caused upsets. Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska, who had experienced a semi-final defeat, beat Lily Zhang of the United States, the no.12 seed (11-5, 11-3, 13-11, 6-11, 11-7); Britt Eerland of the Netherlands, the beaten finalist, overcame Hungary’s Dora Madarasz, the no.16 seed (11-3, 11-3, 11-7, 11-6).
Battle for Tokyo
Serbia’s Aleksandar Karakasevic made his intentions known and came a step closer to the avowed goal; that of a place in the mixed doubles event with his compatriot Izabela Lupulesku at the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The no.6 seed, after recording a straight games win against Tristan Flore and Laura Gasnier of France (12-10, 13-11, 12-10), the duo secured a nail-biting full distance five games win in opposition to Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit and Lee Ho Ching, the no.4 seeds (11-7, 3-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7).
A total of five pairs, with a maximum of one per National Olympic Committee, qualify as a result of their performances on the 2020 ITTF World Tour. The event comprises a total of 16 pairs, only one pair per National Olympic Committee permitted.
Third Daytona 500 Win Puts Hamlin In Rarefied Air
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Denny Hamlin entered elite company on Monday night after taking the checkered flag first in the 62nd annual Daytona 500 at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
With his third victory in The Great American Race, Hamlin became just the sixth driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win the biggest race in the sport three or more times.
Hamlin ties NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison, Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett at a hat trick of Daytona 500 triumphs. Those three Daytona 500 wins are among the 38 Cup victories overall that Hamlin has.
Only Cale Yarborough (four) and Richard Petty (seven) – also NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees – have put their names on the iconic Harley J. Earl perpetual trophy more than Hamlin has.
It’s a fact that’s not lost on the Chesterfield, Va., short track ace, who also became just the fourth man to win the Daytona 500 in consecutive years, joining Petty (1973-74), Yarborough (1983-84) and Sterling Marlin (1994-95) in that category.
“Man, I need time to process it,” said Hamlin of the historical significance of his third Daytona 500 score. “I was saying actually at lunch today, I didn’t feel good about the race … not because of my car or the speed, just that we’d managed to get to the finish of these races for a lot of years in a row, and it’s like ‘how have we just kept avoiding the inevitable wrecks?’
“Really, we had a great strategy there at the end of stage one to put us up front at the beginning into stage two, and I was able to kind of maintain good track position at that point and obviously got shuffled, but it worked out in the end.”
Considering the kind of company that Hamlin now shares – all of the above names mentioned are Hall of Famers, with the exception of Marlin – it seems almost inevitable that once Hamlin retires from competition, his name will eventually be called to join them and he’ll receive an iconic blue jacket.
But Hamlin isn’t ready to think about that yet. In his mind, he still has a long way to go to catch up.
“When I think about the names, and Chris (Gabehart, crew chief) is always quick to remind me of what a win would do here, where does it put you and the names that it puts you with … I consider those (guys) professors of racing like this, and I’m just a guy that’s a student (of the draft),” Hamlin said.
“It’s been great to be on the run that we’ve been on the last five years at this race track … and really, it’s been eight years or so that we’ve been fantastic here, but I just can’t fathom that we did it again, being that it’s harder to win today than ever before because all the cars are so close together and the attrition and the wrecks do take their toll as it goes on,” Hamlin continued. “It’s harder to win (the Daytona 500) now than ever. To win it again, I don’t know what to think.
“You’re going to have to check with me in Las Vegas, but it’s a great feat and I’m proud of our team.”
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