Korean Open: New Career High for Japanese Star

Monday, August 24, 2009

ITTF Press Release

Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Singapore’s Feng Tianwei won the respective Men’s and Women’s Singles titles at the KAL Cup Korean Open in Seoul on Sunday 23rd August 2009.

Seeded no.8, Jun Mizutani recorded a straight games semi-final success over Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov, seeded no.6 before recording a five games win in the final in opposition to China’s Hao Shuai, the no.3 seed.

It was for Hao Shuai, the second consecutive week that he had finished in the runners up spot in a Men’s Singles event on the ITTF Pro Tour; one week earlier he had suffered against compatriot, Wang Hao, the reigning World champion, at the China Open in Tianjin. In Seoul he reversed that decision by beating Wang Hao in six games at the semi-final stage. Alas for Hao Shuai, the top prize once again proved elusive.

Gold was in the hands of Jun Mizutani who thus wrote a new chapter in his career; it was for the 20 year old his first ever ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles crown.

Disappointment for Hao Shuai in the Men’s Singles final but there was an element of consolation; partnering Wang Hao, the Chinese duo captured the top prize in the Men’s Doubles event earlier in the day. They accounted for the host nation’s Cho Eon Rae and Kim Jung Hoon in the final.

Meanwhile, for Feng Tianwei it was her second career ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles crown, the previous success being in November 2008 in Poland.

In Seoul she overcame compatriot Sun Bei Bei, seeded no.13, by the narrowest of margins at the semi-final stage before recording a straight games victory over Hong Kong’s Jiang Huajun, seeded no.3, in the final. At the penultimate stage, Jiang Huajun had ended Korean hopes by defeating Park Mi Young, the no.7 seed.

Sadness for Korea but there was success; Park Mi Young partnered Kim Kyung Ah to Women’s Doubles gold; seeded no.2, the pair defeated top seeds Hong Kong’s Jiang Huajun and Tie Yana in the final.

Men’s Singles
Semi-Finals
Hao Shuai (CHN) bt Wang Hao (CHN) 11-9, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8
Jun Mizutani (JPN) bt Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8, 11-3
Final
Jun Mizutani (JPN) bt Hao Shuai (CHN) 14-12, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10

Women’s Singles
Semi-Finals
Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Sun Bei Bei (SIN) 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9
Jiang Huajun (HKG) bt Park Mi Young (KOR) 11-7, 11-3, 11-6, 13-11
Final
Feng Tianwei (SIN) bt Jiang Huajun (HKG) 11-2, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9

Men’s Doubles
Final
Hao Shuai / Wang Hao (CHN) bt Cho Eon Rae / Kim Jung Hoon (KOR) 11-5, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7

Women’s Doubles
Final
Kim Kyung Ah / Park Mi Young (KOR) bt Jiang Huajun / Tie Yana (HKG) 7-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5

Read more at:
http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=19262&Competition_ID=1861

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Korean Open: New Career High for Japanese Star

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