South Korea’s Kim Hayeong caused the biggest upset in the qualification round of the 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena Tuesday.
The No 127 ranked women’s paddler accounted for Romania’s Bernadette Szocs, ranked No 21 in the world. Szocs was also the highest rated player in the qualification round but lost in a dramatic seven-game duel 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 15-13 as Hayeong held her nerves. On Wednesday the main round of matches will be held, with the finals scheduled for this Sunday.  
In another shocking result, Four-time ITTF World Tour men’s singles titles winner Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan was beaten in his opening encounter by Thailand’s Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon 9-11, 11-6, 13-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4.
Currently with a world ranking of 111, Wisutmaythangkoon was in fine form against World No 19 Chih-Yuan. Wisutmaythangkoon’s best result in the ITTF circuit is a semi-final appearance at the Nigerian Open and the Thai will hope for similar success if not better here in Doha. 
There were more surprise winners on the day, as Germany’s Ricardo Walther beat Denmark’s Zhai Yujia, who was crowned champion in Spain just two days ago. The 24-year-old Danish star was beaten in the men’s singles preliminary round by Walther 12-10, 5-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-8.
Meanwhile, Korea Republic’s Hwang Minha caused a major upset when he beat Denmark’s Jonathan Groth in seven games (13-11, 9-11, 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7). No 23 Groth succumbed to the guile of 170-ranked Hwang Minha, who has previously won the 2014 ITTF World Cadet Challenge in Barbados. 
There were many close contests on the day, but the closest was one involving Frenchman Simon Gauzy and Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri. Gauzy eventually prevailed in a dramatic seventh game 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 9-11, 14-12.
England’s Sam Walker maintained his nerve as he recovered from a three games to one deficit to beat Japan’s Jin Ueda 11-9, 6-11, 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 to cause a major men’s singles preliminary round upset. Currently on the world rankings, Jin Ueda is listed at No 29, Sam Walker is No 93.
Crowned African champion just over six months ago in Mauritius in early September, Nigeria’s 25th-ranked Quadri Aruna was beaten by Brazil’s 104th-ranked Thiago Monteiro, the Latin American champion in 2004 in Chile and in 2008 in the Dominican Republic. Monteiro won 11-9, 11-8, 3-11, 12-10, 11-6.
Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju, the winner two days ago in Oman and Germany’s Steffen Mengel a semi-finalist in Spain both enjoyed success in the second men’s singles preliminary round. Lin Yun-Ju beat Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo (11-8, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5); Steffen Mengel accounted for Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej (12-10, 12-10, 11-8, 11-3).
Meanwhile, India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Sharath Kamal Achanta and Amalraj Anthony all enjoyed success in the men’s singles preliminary round. 
Gnanasekaran beat Sweden’s Truls Moregard (11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7),  while veteran Achanta accounted for Frenchman Benjamin Brossier (15-13, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5) before Anthony ended the hopes of Kanak Jha of the United States (6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7).
Neither one of Puerto Rico’s Adriana Díaz nor India’s Manika Batra will play any further part in Women’s Singles qualification following shock defeats. Adriana Díaz was beaten by Serbian star Sabina Surjan in a seven-game thriller (6-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7, 12-14, 11-7) while Batra was knocked out by Korea’s Kim Youjin in straight games (11-7, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5).
Germany’s Nina Mittelham will contest the next round of qualifying after successfully holding off a late comeback charge from Slovak opponent Eva Odorova (11-5, 11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5). But, there was no such fortune for Japan’s Honami Nakamori who, despite establishing a solid two games to nil lead, suffered a 4-2 defeat to Korea Republic’s Lee Eunhye (4-11, 7-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-7, 11-6).
Kim Minhyeok and Cho Daeseong both produced excellent outings in their opening qualification fixtures, coming through their respective meetings with Qatar’s Ahmed Alawlaqi (11-2, 11-3, 11-3, 11-7) and Kuwait’s Marzooq Alrashidi (11-6, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5). However, there was defeat for Korea’s Choi Deokhwa, who lost out to Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen across five games (7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 13-11, 12-10).
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