Kuwait, Feb 16, 2013: Different, The leading names in the qualification stage of both the Men’s and Women’s Singles events at the ITTF 2013 World Tour Kuwait Open duly booked their places in the main draw on Friday 15th February.
However, they took varying routes to success.
In the Men’s Singles event, Singapore’s CHEN Feng and Austria’s Daniel HABESOHN took the direct route; they remained unbeaten to finish in first place in their respective groups.
It was not the situation for Belgium’s Jean-Michel SAIVE or Korea’s CHO Eonrae.
Both had completed their group stage matches on the opening day, each recording one win and suffering one defeat. Jean-Michel SAIVE beat Russia’s Viatcheslav KRIVOSHEEV in four straight games (11-8, 11-5, 11-7, 11-2) but then suffered defeat at the hands of Japan’s 17 year old Masataka MORIZONO in six games (9-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9).
However, in order to secure first place in the group, Jean-Michel SAIVE needed Viatcheslav KRIVOSHEEV to beat Masataka MORIZONO in the concluding match in the group. The Russian duly obliged, he won in seven games (11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 13-15, 11-6); thus on games ratio it was first place in the group for Jean-Michel SAIVE.
It was a similar scenario for CHO Eonrae. On day one, he was beaten by Egypt’s Mohamed EL-BEIALI in seven games (7-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 1-11, 11-4, 12-10), before overcoming Belgium’s Robin DEVOS in four straight games (11-7, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6). In a similar fashion to Jean-Michel SAIVE he needed a favour from Robin DEVOS in the concluding group match.
Robin DEVOS duly met the Korean’s wishes and beat Mohamed EL-BEIALI in five games (11-9, 11-4, 11-5, 11-13, 11-8).
Meanwhile, for the top four names in the qualification stage of the Women’s Singles event matters were slightly different.
Korea’s JEON Jihee and SEO Hyowon in addition to Japan’s Sayaka HIRANO remained unbeaten, thus topped their groups and booked main draw places.
The situation was different for LEE Eunhee, also from Korea. On the first day of play she had been beaten by Japan’s Yuki MATSUMOTO in six games (7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 14-12, 11-9); Yuki MATSUMOTO having earlier suffered defeat at the hands of Russia’s Elena TROSHNEVA (11-7, 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 11-3).
In order to clinch first place in the group on games ratio, LEE Eunhee needed to record a resounding win over Elena TROSHNEVA.
She rose to the challenge and posted a straight games success (11-8, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8); first place had been secured in an emphatic manner. —- ITTF/Photo: Magdy El-Dakroury
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