by Ian Marshall, Editor
The no.5 seeds, they beat a most creditable partnership in the guise of China’s Liang Jinkun and Yan An, the former powerful, the latter very quick to seize the initiative at the earliest opportunity.
However, with Pak Sin Hyok being left handed and Lee Sangsu right handed, the Korean Peninsula duo could unleash their powerful forehand top spin strokes at will; in a hard fought full distance duel they recorded a full distance five games success (11-9, 13-11, 3-11, 4-11, 11-7).
“We played very well at first but we played too safely in the middle of the match. Liang Jinkun and Yan An started playing more aggressively. After two-two, our coaches advised us to play more aggressively, even if it meant we lost. We did as the coaches said; that led us to the win. I think I am good at attacking, Park Sin Hyok has good basic skills and good movement. Our strategy was to make chances for me to attack. The strategy was successful. Our advantage is that we have good movement.” Lee Sangsu
A fine performance but arguably the performance of the round was that provided by Korea Republic’s Jang Woojin and Lim Jonghoon; the no.6 seeds, they upset the order of merit, they overcame Koki Niwa and Jin Ueda, the no.3 seeds (12-10, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4) thus ending the hopes of Japan.
Success for the Korean Peninsula, for Hong Kong it was mixed fortunes. Lam Siu Hang and Ng Pak Nam, the no.8 seeds, experienced defeat at the hands of China’s Wang Chuqin and Xue Fei (11-9, 11-9, 11-6); conversely Ho Kwan Kit and Wong Chun Ting, the top seeds, recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An and Chuang Chih-Yuan, the no.7 seeds (3-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9).
Once again for Chen Chien-An and Chuang Chih-Yuan it was disappointment; crowned World champions in 2013 in Paris but to date they have never reached an ITTF World Tour Men’s Doubles final.
At the semi-final stage Ho Kwan Kit and Wong Chun Ting confront Lee Sangsu and Pak Sin Hyok; Jang Woojin and Lim Jonghoon face Wang Chuqin and Xue Fei. Notably each partnership comprises a left and right hander.
The matches will be played later today in the evening session of play.
