Friday, September 12, 2008
11:31 PM
ITTF Pro Tour China Panasonic Open - Gao Ning ousted out in first round
There was an upset for Singapore's top male paddler Gao Ning. The world No. 12, playing for the first time since he was without a coach at the Olympics, had to endure more misery as he went 1-4 down 5-11, 13-15, 10-12, 11-9, 10-12 to Japan's world No 215 Takanori Shimoyama.

Liu Zhongze and Cai Xiaoli also joined the list of casualties after losing to China's Hao Shuai 4-0 and South Korea's Joo Se Hyuk 4-3.


However, for Ma Liang and Yang Zi, there were better news. Ma Liang defeated South Korea's Jeong Sang Eun 4-1, and Yang Zi accounted for Japan's Kazuhiro Chan by the same margin.

There were no surprises for the female counterparts. Feng Tianwei, the 6th seeded, thrashed South Korean qualifier Park Young Sook 11-3, 11-5, 15-13, 11-5 to book a place in the last 16. Whilst for Sun Bei Bei, she defeated Japan's An Konishi 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-2. Yu Meng Yu did well to ovecome South Korea's Seok Ha Jung 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-9.

Similarly, in the Doubles Events, our paddlers were at the wrong end of a shock result. Seeded 4th, Gao Ning and Yang Zi lost their opening round duel against the Japanese pairing of Yosuke Kawashima and Kunuhito Tasaei. Ma Liang and Liu Zhong Ze faltered against China's Ma Long and Xu Xin. Cai Xiao Li paired with Chinese Taipei's Chen Chien An and were overcae by Soth Korea's Kim Jung Hoon and Lim Jae Hyun.

The female paddlers did badly as well. Feng Tianwei and Yu Meng Yu suffered under the bats of Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen from China. The only pair that managed to advanced were Sun Bei Bei and Netherland's Li Jie. They beat South Korea's Choi Jung Min and Choi Moon Young in straight games, carrying Singapore's only hope into the Quarter Finals.

In tomorrow's match, Yang Zi will meet South Korea's Joo Se Hyuk and Ma Liang will take on world No. 4, Ma Long from China. Sun Bei Bei will face the Women's World Cup Silver Medalist, Hong Kong's Tie Yana, while Feng Tianwei will take on defender Fan Ying fro China. Yu Meng Yu will meet teenager China's Liu Shiwen.




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