Olympic Media Notes: Tuesday 3rd August Day Ten Highlights: Monday 2nd August Men’s Team: Round One Japan (1) 3-0 Australia (16) An unusual sight to start a fixture, two left-handers in the guise of Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa (JPN) combined to form the doubles pair; they beat Heming Hu and Chris Yan (AUS) in straight games (11-7, 11-3, 11-8). Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) increased the advantage when he accounted for David Powell (AUS) in a most impressive fashion (11-4, 11-9, 11-7). Jun Mizutani (JPN) overcame Chris Yan (AUS) in a similar style (11-4, 11-1, 11-9) to end matters. Sweden (5) 3-1 United States (14) Kanak Jha (USA) underlined his quality by beating Mattias Falck (SWE) in the second match of the fixture by five games (9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 14-12). Currently, Mattias Falck (SWE) is no.9 on the ITTF Table Tennis Men’s World Rankings, Kanak Jha (USA) is at no.30. Anton Källberg and Kristian Karlsson (SWE) gave Sweden the perfect start; they beat Nikhil Kumar and Zhou Xin (USA) in straight games (11-6, 11-5, 11-5). Anton Källberg (SWE) returned to the action in the third match of the fixture; he overcame Zhou Xin (USA) in a clinical manner (11-7, 11-8, 11-8). Kristian Karlsson (SWE) beat Kanak Jha (USA) to conclude the contest (12-10, 11-5, 11-6). Men’s Team: Quarter-Finals Korea Republic (4) 3-0 Brazil (6) Jang Woojin (KOR) exacted revenge for his fourth-round men’s singles defeat when losing to Hugo Calderano (BRA) in seven games (11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6); in the second match of the fixture, he defeated Hugo Calderano (BRA) in straight games (11-6, 11-8, 12-10). The result sealed Brazil’s fate. Earlier Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu (KOR) had beaten Vitor Ishiy and Gustavo Tsuboi (KOR) in straight games (11-6, 11-2, 12-10). Jeoung Youngsik (KOR) concluded matters by beating a Gustavo Tsuboi (KOR), who as always fought to the bitter end; Jeoung Youngsik (KOR) eventually prevailed in five games (11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7). Men’s Team: Quarter-Final China (1) 3-0 France (8) Simon Gauzy (FRA) caused Fan Zhendong (CHN) a host of problems; he extended the men’s singles silver medallist the maximum seven games distance (10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7). Ma Long and Xu Xin (CHN) beat Alexandre Cassin and Emmanuel Lebesson (FRA) to give China the ideal start (11-6, 11-5, 11-7). Xu Xin (CHN) overcame Emmanuel Lebesson (FRA) to conclude matters (11-8, 11-5, 11-6). Women’s Team: Round One Singapore (6) 3-0 France (13) On her 17th birthday, Prithika Pavade (FRA) underlined her potential; she won the first two games against Feng Tianwei (SGP) before experience counted (8-11, 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-3). Playing her first-ever match in the Olympic Games, Stéphanie Loeuillette (FRA) partnered with Yuan Jia Nan (FRA) in the doubles and were beaten by Lin Ye and Yu Mengyu (SGP) in straight games (11-6, 11-5, 13-11). Yu Mengyu (SGP), fourth place in the women’s singles, beat Yuan Ji Nan (FRA) in four games (11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8) to conclude matters. Page 1 Korea Republic (7) 3-0 Poland (11) A much closer contest than the scoreline may suggest. In the opening doubles, Choi Hyojoo and Shin Yubin (KOR) overcame Natalia Bajor and Natalia Partyka (POL) by the very narrowest of decisions (11-6, 12-10, 11-13, 4-11, 13-11). Similarly, in the contest that brought the fixture to a close, Shin Yubin (KOR) had to stave off a spirited recovery by Natalia Bajor (POL). Shin Yubin (KOR) won in five games (11-4, 11-7, 9- 11, 8-11, 11-5). Sandwiched in between, Jeon Jihee (KOR) took no prisoners; she overcame the classic defensive skills of Li Qian in straight games (11-4, 11-8, 11-3). Women’s Team: Quarter-Final Hong Kong (4) 3-1 Romania (8) Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) proved the backbone of Hong Kong’s success. She beat Bernadette Szocs (ROU) in the second match of the fixture (11-5, 11-5, 11-6). In the fourth and concluding contest, she accounted for Daniela Monteiro Dodean (ROU) in straight games (11-3, 11-2, 14-12). Daniela Monteiro Dodean and Elizabeta Samara (ROU) gave Romania the perfect start. They beat Lee Ho Ching and Minnie Soo Wai Yam (HKG) by the narrowest decisions (11-5, 5-11, 11- 7, 6-11, 13-11). Crucially, Lee Ho Ching (HKG) overcame Elizabeta Samara (ROU) in the third match of the engagement (11-9, 11-8, 12-10). Women’s Team: Quarter-Final Japan (2) 3-0 Chinese Taipei (5) Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) set the tone for the contest by overcoming Cheng Hsien- Tzu and Chen Szu-Yu (TPE) in the opening contest (11-8, 11-6, 11-5). Mima Ito (JPN) followed suit. She accounted for Cheng I-Ching (TPE) to double the lead (11-2, 11-9, 11-8). Miu Hirano (JPN) concluded matters by overcoming Chen Szu-Yu (TPE); she succeeded in four games (11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-4). Looking ahead Men’s Team: Quarter-Final 10.00 Japan (Tomokazu Harimoto, Jun Mizutani, Koki Niwa) v Sweden (Mattias Falck, Anton Källberg, Kristian Karlsson) Japan (3) Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa (JPN) were the doubles partners in the opening round against Australia. Will Japan continue with that policy or partner Koki Niwa with Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) to field a left and right-handed combination? Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN), having experienced a surprise defeat in the men’s singles when losing to Darko Jorgic (SLO) in round four, has a point to prove. Koki Niwa (JPN) did not impress against Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) when losing to the German in the fourth round of the men’s singles. Sweden (6) Mattias Falck (SWE) has not enjoyed the best form in Tokyo; he has yet to win. In the men’s singles, he experienced a surprise third-round defeat by Omar Assar (EGY). Against the United States in the men’s team competition opening round, he was beaten by Kanak Jha (USA). Anton Källberg and Kristian Karlsson (SWE) formed the successful doubles partnership against the United States in the opening round, but Mattias Falck and Kristian Karlsson (SWE) comprise the experienced combination. In 2015 they won the men’s doubles title at the ITTF World Tour Polish Open. Could Jörgen Persson (SWE), the coach, decide to reunite Mattias Falck and Kristian Karlsson, thus scheduling Anton Källberg for both potential singles matches? Page 2 14.30 Germany (Timo Boll, Patrick Franziska, Dimitrij Ovtcharov) v Chinese Taipei (Chen Chien-An, Chuang Chih-Yuan, Lin Yun-Ju) Germany (2) A comprehensive display in the opening round against Portugal, a 3-0 win. Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER), the bronze medallist in the men’s singles, is at the peak of his powers. Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska (GER) will no doubt form the doubles pairing. Chinese Taipei (7) No doubt, the doubles pairing will be Chen Chien-An and Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE). It is on the sublime talents of Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) that eyes focus; he was beaten by Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) in the bronze medal men’s singles match after holding four match points in the sixth game. They could well meet in the second match of the fixture. Women’s Team: Quarter-Final 10.00 Germany (Han Ying, Shan Xiaona, Petrissa Solja) v Korea Republic (Choi Hyojoo, Jeon Jihee, Shin Yubin) Germany (3) Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja (GER), the reigning European champions, will start proceedings. Han Ying (GER), a defensive player in the classical mode, provides security. Petrissa Solja (GER) experienced a surprise third-round defeat in the women’s singles as she lost to Zhang Mo (CAN). Crowned European champion in June, she has not displayed the best of form in Tokyo. Korea Republic (7) Choi Hyjoo and Shin Yubin (KOR) have developed a good relationship for women’s doubles, but they have no major titles to their name. In the opening fixture against Poland, they were stretched to the five-game limit by Natalia Bajor and Natalia Partyka. Shin Yubin (KOR) was tested against Poland but eventually succeeded in five games against Natalia Bajor (POL). She is only 17 years old. Jeon Jihee (KOR) may well play Han Ying (GER) in the second match of the fixture. Against Poland, Jeon Jihee (KOR) beat Li Qian (POL), like Han Ying (GER), also a defensive player of high quality. Women’s Team: Quarter-Final 14.30 China (Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu) v Singapore (Feng Tianwei, Lin Ye, Yu Mengyu) China (1) A depth of talent with which no other team can compare, for the doubles they can choose any option but history at an Olympic Games suggest they are unlikely to change with Sun Yingsha to partner Wang Manyu (CHN). Chen Meng (CHN), having won the women’s singles title, is now full of confidence. Singapore (6) Feng Tianwei (SGP) beat both Ding Ning (CHN) and Liu Shiwen (CHN) in the memorable final at the Liebherr 2010 World Team Championships in Moscow when Singapore recorded a 3-1 win to secure the title. She is the only player remaining from that epic contest.