Muramatsu knocks out Samsonov in opener

Qatar’s Li Ping crashes out to world and Olympic champion Ma Long of China

Veteran Vladimir Samsonov was knocked out in the first round by Japan’s Yuto Muramatsu at the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Doha yesterday.
At the Ali bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena, the Belarusian World No. 8 lost 3-4 (11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 6-11, 1-11, 11-9, 11-6) to Muramatsu.
For the 40-year-old Samsonov, playing for the 20th straight year on the tour, it was always going to be a tough test against the much-improved Muramatsu. Samsonov had beaten Muramatsu earlier this year in the European league, but the 10th ranked Japanese has been in fine form lately, having won titles in Germany and the Czech Republic besides finishing runner-up in China.
The 20-year-old Japanese started off on a bright note, winning the first two games but the experienced Samsonov fought right back taking the next three games to jump into a 3-2 lead.
However, Muramatsu find his groove at the right time to win the last two games and clinch the match.
Meanwhile, it was end of the road for Qatar too as the hosts’ only representative in the tournament, Li Ping, lost to World and Olympic champion Ma Long of China 2-4 (11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 3-11, 6-11, 8-11) in the last 16 match.
Ma Long is the overwhelming favourite to defend his title, which he won last year in Lisbon, Portugal. Yesterday surprisingly, Ping took the opening and the third game to take a 2-1 lead but it was all Ma Long from then on as the Chinese pocketed the match quite easily.
The 28-year-old Long, will meet Wong Chun Ting of Hong Kong in the quarter-final today. Chun Ting overcame Kenta Matsudaira of Japan in a tight encounter 4-3 (6-11, 12-14, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 14-16, 11-8).
The draw is in favour of Ma long too this time. The Chinese won the ITTF title in Qatar early this year and he is not expected to meet his countrymen world number two Fan Zhendong and number three Xu Xin until the final.
In the women’s Zhu Yuling of China, put in a flawless performance as the third seed ousted Japan’s Hitomi Sato, the no.16 seed, 4-0 (11-2, 11-6, 11-5, 11-3). Yuling, the twice World Junior champion, was never seriously threatened by Sato.
But Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.2 seed Japanese, was extended to full seven games by 15th seed Korean Suh Hyowon before she prevailed 4-3 (8-11, 2-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5).
Hyowon put Ishikawa to test in the first game, with the Korean’s service proving difficult to handle for the Japanese. However, Ishikawa recovered and won the third and fourth game, before Hyowon needed medical help after suffering a small cut on the little finger of her playing hand.
The next two games were shared with the tentative Ishikawa making errors to lose the sixth. In the decider, Ishikawa won five points on the trot to seal the match in her favour.
“I was nervous receiving her service. I made mistakes. In the third game when she took the injury break, it enabled me to calm myself and focus,” said a relived Ishikawa after the match.
Hong Kong’s Tie Yana, the No.5 seed ,also had to dig deep into her reserves before she beat No. 9 Yuka Ishigaki of Japan 4-3 (9-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 11-4).
However, top seed Ding Ning of China had no such problems as the reigning Olympic and World champion beat Hong Kong’s Lee Ho Ching, the no.12 seed, in four straight games (14-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6).
 
Last 16 results
Men’s singles
Ma Long (China) bt LI Ping (Qatar) 4-2 (4-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8)
Wong Chun Ting (Hong Kong) bt Kenta Matsudaira (Japan) 4-3 (6-11, 12-14, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 14-16, 11-8)
Jung Young-Sik (South Korea) bt Jun Mizutani (Japan) 4-3 (7-11, 10-12, 12-10 11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-9)
Yuto Muramatsu (Japan) bt Vladimir Samsonov (Belarus) 4-3 (11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 6-11, 1-11, 11-9, 11-6)
 
Women’s singles
Ding Ning (China) bt Lee Ho-Ching (Hong Kong) 4-0 (14-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6)
Tie Ya Na (Hong Kong) bt Yuka Ishigaki 4-3 (9-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 11-4)
Zhu Yuling (China) bt Hitomi Sato (Japan) 4-0 (11-3, 11-6, 11-5, 11-3)
Kasumi Ishikawa (Japan) bt Suh Hyowon (South Korea) 4-3 (8-11, 2-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5)