tabletennisJunkie.com - table tennis and ping pong forum for equipment junkies!

[729 fx]

After the Qatar Open, next in line will be the Kuwait Open.
Wonder who will be the winner this time? Ma Long? Wang Liqin? Xu Xin?

No, I was thinking why the European top players are not participating in this tournament. Most (if not all) the top Chinese players are here, and the top European players was not around. Boll, Otcharov, Crisan, Maze, Kreanga, Baum, Suss, Samsonov etc all does not show up. Was it because they wanted to avoid the Chinese players or the European players have a full schedule ahead of them with their club play (example Boll, Otcharov in German league) ? Only they will know for sure.

If I am not mistaken, the European players make the lion's share of their money from their club play, therefore meeting their club obligations is more important to them than the pro tour.

As for Samsonov, maybe he wanted to spend his time with his children and wife. Also maybe he did not turn up for the Kuwait Open for strategic reason. I think he likes being where he is in the world ranking, and he knows that if he plays more often, he might drop out of the top-20 for the 1st time in 9 years so he's pretty much locked in to that spot, so he can play 2-3 events a year and maintain himself in that spot, even if he's upset by a lower player. besides, the less he plays the chinese, the more of a chance he has to 'come outta nowhere" and pull off an upset like he did at the world cup last year.

[729 fx]

An upset is in the making on the first day of play, Tuesday 23rd February 2010, at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open.

16 year old Soumyajit Ghosh (India) was the player to cause the only upset of note
In the group stage of the Men’s Singles event by beating Jakub Kosowski(Poland), the fifth highest world ranked player in action on the opening day. However, that win does not necessarily guarantee him a place in the main draw. The one fact it guarantees is that the only way Jakub Kosokswki can progress is by gaining the one “Lucky Loser” place.

There are 32 places in the main draw for qualifiers and there are 31 groups; thus there is one place for someone on whom fortune smiles.

Sadly for Soumyajit Ghosh he was beaten by Ahmed Nadim(Egypt) in his opening match but he lost in seven games before recording a five games win over Jakub Kosowski.
Matters are out of his hands and he will be hoping that Jakub Kosowski, world ranked no.82 as opposed to Soumyajit Ghosh, world ranked no.491, can beat Ahmed Nadim.


A win for Jakub Kosowski by any margin over Ahmed Nadim and Soumyajit Ghosh will finish in first place in the group, defeat and it will be second spot for the Indian

Mihai Bobocica(Italy), the highest world ranked player in action in the group stage of the Men’s Singles event, duly progressed as did the next three in order of merit.
The Italian beat 15 year old Kim Dong Hyun(Korea), Segun Toriola(Nigeria) overcame Aly Lashin(Egypt), Janos Jakab(Hundary) defeated Dmytro Pysar(Ukraine) and Kim Hyok Bong(North Korea) proved too strong for Khaled Al-Harbi(Saudi Arabia).

Equally, Adrien Mattenet (France), Marcos Freitas(Portugal) and Kirill Skachkov(Russia), the sixth to eighth highest world ranked players in action enjoyed victory.

There was a scare for 19 year old LEE Sang Su(Korea), the winner of the Men’s Singles event at the Slovenian Open in January, the first ITTF Pro Tour tournament of the year. He trailed 15 year old Masaki YOSHIDA (Japan), playing in only his second ever ITTF Pro Tour tournament, 6-9 in the vital seventh game, before winning five points in a row to steal the match.

While in the women’s competition Japan’s Sayaka HIRANO, China’s YAO Yan, LI Jie of the Netherlands and Singapore’s YU Meng Yu all enjoyed opening successes.

The qualification stage of proceedings continues on Wednesday 24th February 2010.

(Note : Source from ITTF News)

[729 fx]

20 year old Natalia Partyka (Poland), kept the European flag flying in the qualification stage of the Women’s Singles event at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open on Wednesday 24th February 2010, by being the only player born in Europe to emerge as a group winner in the qualification stage of the Women’s Singles event. In five hard fought games she beat the fast attacking Korean penholder Moon Hyun Jung to secure top place having one day earlier accounted for India’s Mamata Prabhu.
Moon Hyun Jung currently occupies the no.75 spot on the ITTF Women’s World Rankings whilst Natalia Partyka is at no.97.

A win against the odds for Natalia Partyka and also for Korea’s Choi Moon Young; listed at no.101 on the ITTF Women’s World Rankings, she beat Poland’s Xu Jie, ranked no.73, to finish in first place in her group.

Two upsets but no great problems for the top four world ranked players on duty in the group stage of either the Men’s or Women’s Singles events.

In the Women’s Singles event Sayaka Hirano (Japan), Yao Yan (China), Li Jie (Netherlands) and Yu Meng Yu (Singapore) all finished in first place in their respective groups, as did Seok Ha Jung (Korea) and Yuka Ishikgaki(Japan) the next two players in line.

Similarly, there was one casualty amongst the top eight in the qualification stage of the Men’s Singles event. On the first day of play India’s Soumyajit Ghosh had lost to Egypt’s Ahmed Nadim in seven games before causing an upset by overcoming Poland’s Jakub Kosowski, the fifth highest ranked in action, in five games. In order to finish in first place, Soumyajit Ghosh needed Jakub Kosowski to beat Ahmed Nadim; the Polish star duly obliged and won in six games.
No place in the main draw for Jakub Kosowski but for the other leading names it was success.

Mihai Bobocica(Italy), Segun Toriola(Nigeria), Janos Jakab(Hungary), Kim Hyok Bong (North Korea) all emerged as group winners as did Adrien Mattenet(France), Marcos Freitas(Portugal) and Kirill Skachkov(Russia).

The Kuwait Open produces a big chunk of fans from North Korea. Sixteen year old Kim Hye Song was the player to cause the biggest upset in the group qualification stage of the Women’s Singles event on Wednesday 24th February 2010; having beaten India’s Shamini Kumaresan on the opening day, she completed her group stage matches with a shock victory over Korean neighbour, Lee Eun Hee.
The right handed shakehands grip North Korean found the right handed penholder who uses short pimples, utilising one side of the racket only, very much to her liking. She won in four straight games.

Throughout the first two days of the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open, some 30 to 40 Korean men have watched intently and clapped politely in support of their fellow countrymen. Always there is one who carries their nation’s flag and duly drapes it over the stairwell in support of his national team.
A few are from the diplomatic service, there is a North Korean Embassy in Kuwait but the majority are construction workers. At the moment many North Koreans are employed in Kuwait in projects where high rise buildings are being constructed.

A total of four women and two men comprise the North Korean party.
At the conclusion of the group stage matches, Kim Jong had booked her place in the main draw alongside Kim Hye Song, having beaten Singapore’s Zena Sim and Japan’s Misaki Wakamiya.
However, for Hyon Ryon Hui and Han Hye Song it was second place in their respective groups and no place in the main draw.

Meanwhile, in the qualification stage of the Men’s Singles event, Kim Hyok Bong beat both Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Al-Harbi and Austria’s Mathias Habesohn to secure first place in his group and progress to the main draw. Jang Song Man, the one remaining member of the North Korean group, is the no.27 seed in the Men’s Singles event and has yet to start his programme of matches.

(Note : Source from ITTF News)

[729 fx]

Heard that Wang LiQin was disqualified at the Kuwait Open due to his racket.
Is this true?

[729 fx]

Men's Quarter Finals :
Ma Long vs Tang Peng
Ma Lin vs Ryu Seung Min
Xu Xin vs Wang Liqin
Zhang Jike vs Wang Hao

I was informed that Wang LQ won 4-0 against Xu Xin, but his racket didi not passed the ITTF test. Earlier, his first racket failed the test (probably thickness exceeded the permitted level) and he used his spared racket which is not subject to the test before the match. After the match, his spare racket was tested and failed, therefore he was disqualified.
Xu Xin is the lucky chap to enter the semi-final.

Men's Semi-Finals
Xu Xin vs Ma Long
Ma Lin vs Zhang Jike

[729 fx]

Wang Hao seems to be on the decline after winning the World Championship & China National.
Got a girlfriend, weight problems, maybe lack of motivation after a big win or lost direction. I think Only Olympic medal in the single still out of his hand.

Anyway, back to the Kuwait Open Final. It is between Ma Lin and Xu Xin.
Both are my 2 favourite players (one old, one current). Looks like Xu Xin have good defenses but lack sting in his attack. My guess is that if he can polish up his offensive play, he will rank somewhere among the top players.

Ma Lin was leading 3-2, and in the 6th game both is at deuce 11-11. And XuXin won to take the match to the wire. It is the 7th game and both players fighting "tooth and nail" and at 3-3, Xu Xin brke free to lead 9-7. Ma Lin, not to be outgunned, race to 10-10.
Alas a mistake cost Ma Lin the title with Xu Xin won 12-10 in the decider 7th game.

729 FX out.

[729 fx]

OK, back to reporting the results of the Kuwait Open.

18 year old Liu Shiwen (China) secured the fourth Women’s Singles title of her career on the ITTF Pro Tour when she beat 21 year old Ai Fukuhara (Japan) in a spell binding final at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open last Saturday 27th February 2010. Seeded no.1, Liu Shiwen overcame the no.16 seed: 11-7, 20-18, 6-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-13, 11-3.

The rally was played at a breathtaking speed, of the highest calibre, and the speed of the exchanges breathtaking. Played at a fast and furious pace, both players never retreating from the table, it was Liu Shiwen who captured the first game after Ai Fukuhara had saved one game point.

The 2nd game produed the best from both players. Matching Ai Fukuhara in the speed department and using her topspin skills to good effect, Liu Shiwen established a 9-6 lead in the second game.

And after Liu SW leads at 3-1, Ai Fukuhara won the fifth game in style. She did it again in the 6th and only the deciding 7th game will produce the winner. There were two winners Liu Shiwen and table tennis.

Coached by Kong Linghui, the former Olympic and World champion, Liu Shiwen made full use of the table, she attacked wide to the backhand, wide to the forehand; thoroughly testing the blocking skills of her adversary.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Women Doubles, Guo Yan and Guo Yue, the no.5 seeds, clinched the Women’s Doubles crown at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open beating compatriots and third seeds, Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen at the final hurdle. Both Guo's showed great understanding to emerge victorious by the margin of 11-9, 19-17, 5-11, 7-11, 11-6, 16-14.
Prior to the 2010 Salwa Cup Kuwait Open they had two ITTF Pro Tour Wom,en’s Doubles titles to their credit, in 2005 and 2007 they won at the Panasonic China Open.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Men Doubles, Ma Long and Zhang Jike won their first ever ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles title as a partnership when they succeeded in beating Wang LiQin and Xu Xin.

Wang Liqin and Xu Xin totally dominated the first game;, they could not put a foot wrong, Ma Long and Zhang Jike could do nothing right. Xu Xin made the openings, Wang Liqin delivered the execution. However, in the second game, the boot was on the other foot; Ma Long and Zhang Jike were totally dominant. The third game was a closer affair with the pairs level at 5-all; the stage at which Wang Liqin and Xu Xin took control. They moved ahead 9-5 and at 10-6 held four game points; Ma Long and Zhang Jike saved one game point but they could not save a second.
Wang Liqin and Xu Xin held the advantage.

Ma Long and Zhang Jike responded to establishe a 7-4 lead in the fourth game, eventually succeeding 11-8. And then as their confidence grew, they took the title with the score 3-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China’s 20 year old Xu Xin, the man who had been given a reprieve at the quarter-final stage of the Men’s Singles event, secured gold at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open.

Similar to compatriot Ma Long, three years earlier in Kuwait, he secured his first ever ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles crown, saving match points in the sixth and seventh games to reserve the top step of the medal podium.

At the final hurdle Xu Xin beat Chinese National Team colleague Ma Lin by the margin of 10-12, 11-8, 10-12, 13-11, 5-11, 13-11, 12-10.

(Note : Source from ITTF News)