Japan will take on Hong Kong, while South Korea face Singapore in the women’s team semi-finals at the Asian Table Tennis Championship today.
At the Lusail Sports Hall yesterday, lining up alongside Hitomi Sato and Miyu Nagasaki, Saki Shibata proved the mainstay of Japanese success against India in the quarter-finals. Shibata prevailed against both Archana Girish Kamath (10-12, 11-7, 11-4, 10-12, 11-9) and Sreeja Akula (8-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-9, 11-8).
Similarly, for Singapore, with Goi Rui Xuan and Zhou Jingyi completing the selection, Lin Ye steered her team to victory against Kazakhstan. She overcame Zauresh Akasheva (11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 9-11, 11-2) and Anastassiya Lavrova (11-7, 11-6, 11-2). Meanwhile, in the fixtures concerning the seeded outfits that had gained direct draw access, it was success for the South Korea and Hong Kong. Jeon Jihee, Lee Zion and Shin Yubin led South Korea Republic to a 3-0 win against Thailand’s Phantita Pinyopsian, Suthasini Sawettabut and Wirakarn Tayapitak.
Hong Kong later secured a 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei. The star of the show was Doo Hoi Kem as she accounted for both Liu Hsing-Yin (11-5, 11-4, 11-7) and Chen Szu-Yu (11-9, 13-11, 12-10). The semi-finals and finals of the women’s team event will be played today.
Meanwhile, Qatari men’s team registered victories over Sri Lanka and Kuwait in the play-off matches yesterday. Ahmad Khalil al-Mohannadi was in fine form as he beat both his matches against Sri Lanka’s Chameera Ginige and Pitiyage Silva, and later eased past Kuwait’s Jaber al-Balhan. Qatar’s men today will face Jordan in the play-off for 13th place. Meanwhile, Qatar’s women’s team went down 1-3 to Maldives, but later beat Nepal 3-1 to secure 17th place.
Meanwhile, 10 teams qualified for the 2022 World Team Championships, with Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan making it. Represented by Ali Alkhadrawi, Naif Al-Jadai and Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi, Saudi Arabia recorded a 3-2 win against the Uzbekistan outfit formed by Abdulaziz Anorboev, Mukhammad Uktamboev and Zokhid Kenjaev.
The player to cause the problems for Saudi Arabia was Zokhid Kenjaev. He accounted for both Naif al-Jadai (11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9) and Ali Alkhadrawi (5-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3).
Hard fought, at the same stage, matters were less stressful for the Kazakhstan trio formed by Kirill Gerassimenko, Aidos Kenzhigulov and Alan Kurmangaliyev. They recorded a 3-0 win against Bahrain’s Salman Abuhamda, Rashed Rashed and Mohamed Saleh.
A top 10 finish achieved, for Kazakhstan with no changes to the selection in the contest to determine a main draw place, a 3-1 victory was recorded against Thailand’s Nanpat Thanmathikom, Sitisak Nuchchart and Puripong Saelee.
Once again as throughout the tournament, Kirill Gerassimenko remained steadfast. He accounted for both Puripong Saelee (12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5) and Nanpat Thanmathikom (10-12, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8).
Conversely, with the same three players in action, Saudi Arabia experienced defeat at the hands of the Singapore combination formed by Clarence Chew, Josh Shao Han Chua and Pang Yew En Koen. Architect of the Singaporean success was Clarence Chew; he beat Naif al-Jadi (11-6, 5-11, 12-14, 11-8, 11-7) and Ali Alkhadrawi (11-5, 11-6, 11-5).
Meanwhile, India recorded a 3-1 win against Iran in the quarter-finals and will face South Korea in the semis. India led impressively by Sharath Kamal Achanta, Harmeet Desai and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran came out trumps against Iran’s Nima Alamian, Noshad Alamiyan and Amir Hossein Hodaei
South Korea outfit comprising Jang Woojin, Lee Sangsu and Lim Jonghoon overcame Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit, Lam Siu Hang and Wong Chun Ting.
Backbone of Korean Republic success was Jang Woojin, he beat both Lam Siu Hang (11-9, 9-11, 15-13, 12-10) and Wong Chun Ting (11-8, 12-14, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9); for India the man in form was Sharath Kamal Achanta. He accounted for both Nima Alamian (11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5) and Noshad Alamiyan (11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9).
Qatar’s Mohamed Abdulwahab in action against Kuwait’s Marzook Alrashidi during the Asian Table Tennis Champions at the Lusail Sports Hall yesterday.