(by Steve Hopkins)
Although a large part of the American public is focused on the Feeder and Para events in Spokane, the best -ranking Americans are successful during the WTT Champions Series event in Yokohama. Kanak JHA defeated World No. 32 Simon Gauzy 3-1 in their round of 32 match-up today. Gauzy took the first match 11-9, but Jha came back with a 14-12 victory in the second game and then logged in two solid victories to greatly complete the game. JHA then faces Kao Cheng-jui van Taipei in the round of 16. Lily Zhang found similar success with her 3-2 victory over Hong Kong’s Doo Hi Kem (World No. 39). Zhang will have a tough opponent tomorrow when she is opposite Satsuki Odo (World No. 9) in their sweet sixteen matchup.
Lily Zhang is World No. 38 and Kanak JHA is World No. 31, so reaching the round of 16 in a Champions series event is a solid version. Both have already secured $ 6,000 USD and 90 ranking points. That said, both hope to push further into the draw. If JHA wins Saturday morning, he is probably opposed to World No. 1 Lin Shidong in the quarterfinals. And Zhang is in the same position in the ladies’ stretch – where she defeats Odo, she will probably be confronted with world no. 1 Sun Yingsha. Great results for the Americans.
In the men’s pulling Lin Shidong is opposed to Dang Qiu on Saturday. The other round of 16 matchups are harimoto versus Kallberg, cave versus Xiang Peng, Moregard versus Matsushima, Jaehyun versus Felix Lebrun, Lind versus Togami and World No. 2 Wang Chuqin versus Oh Junsung. The other matchups in ladies singles are Sun Yingsha versus Hashimoto, Kuai -Man versus Szocs, Shi Xunyao versus Mima Ito, Harimoto versus Hayata, Canada’s mo zhang versus chen xingtong, Wang Yidi Versus Yangzi Liuu.
A lot of action still on tap for this weekend in Yokohama.
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