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[기사] Finalists decided at Asian Para Games

  • 620 | 2018.10.11


Photo: INAPGOC Dwi Ari SetyadiKyu-Seung Kim (KOR)

The bronze medallist four years ago at Incheon 2014, Kyu-Seung Kim of Korea Republic will play top seed Koji Sugeno in Friday’s quad singles final at the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games after defeating the reigning champion in Wednesday’s semifinals in Jakarta.

Four of Friday’s six finalists across the men’s women’s and quad singles gold medal matches are Japanese, but Kim ensured that there would be no all-Japanese quad singles final after making a remarkable comeback to defeat second seed Mitsuteru Moroishi 06 63 61 in the last four.

Neither the gold nor the silver medallist from the 2014 Asian Para Games will play for the gold medal this time after Sugeno’s all-Japanese semifinal ended with the world No. 4 defeating fourth seed Shota Kawano 63 63.

“Today’s match was a bit difficult because it’s so hot and windy as well. I got troubled in second set, but nothing I can’t handle. I changed my racket and suddenly I have a good feeling about winning the match,” said Sugeno.

Before meeting in Friday’s singles final, Kim and Sugeno will first meet in Thursday’s quad doubles final, with top seeds Moroishi and Sugeno already through to play Kyu-Seung Kim and Kyu-Je Kim for the gold medal before the start of Wednesday’s fourth day of play in Jakarta.

Kamiji to play Zhu for women’s singles gold medal

World No. 2 Yui Kamiji will face Zhezhen Zhu of China, P.R. in two gold medal matches over the next two days in Jakarta after both players enjoyed success in their singles and doubles semifinals on Wednesday.

Unseeded for this week’s ITF 2 Series event, Cajun Classic finalist and former world No. 11 Zhu brought Sakhorn Khanthasit’s bid for a third successive Asian Para Games women’s singles gold medal to an end in two very different sets of tennis. Third seed Khanthasit put up a strong second set performance as she attempted to keep her challenge on track, but Zhu ultimately won the first ever match between the two players 60 76(3).

The other all-Japanese women’s singles semifinal ended with Kamiji continuing to demonstrate a certain consistency against fourth seed Momoko Ohtani. The top seed’s 62 60 victory was her third win against Ohtani by the same score in three matches they’ve contested during the last two seasons.

Today, I’m so happy playing against Momoko in the semifinal. She played very well, but I already know her game style, it was a good match,” said Kamiji after her straight sets win. “For the next match, I’ll play against Zhenzhen Zhu in the final. She defeated Sakhorn today, so I think it will be difficult.”

Kamiji, the bronze medallist four years ago, will now play for her first Asian Para Games women’s singles gold medal after losing out to Khanthasit in the semifinals in 2014.

A tough day for Khanthasit also saw Thailand’s bid for a third successive Asian Para Games women’s doubles gold medal come to an end, also against Chinese opposition. Second seeds Hui Min Huang and Zhu won their semifinal against Wanitha Inthanin and Sakhorn Khanthasit 60 62. Kamiji and Manami Tanaka were even more dominant in their doubles semifinal, defeating Korean duo Myung-Hee Hwang and Ju-Youn Park 60 61.

Kunieda on track for hat-trick of men’s singles titles

While Khanthasit’s bid for a third women’s singles gold medal came to an end, Shingo Kunieda remains firmly on course for a third successive Asian Para Games men’s singles gold medal as the world No. 1 and world No. 9 Takashi Sanada set up a rematch of their Incheon 2014 final.

Kunieda and Sanada both dropped five games apiece in their respective semifinals, top seed Kunieda beating fellow Japanese player Kouhei Suzuki 61 64, while Sanada earned a 62 63 win over seventh seed Suthi Khlongrua 62 63.

“Kouhei Suzuki was very aggressive today, but I countered him with a fast counter, and I controlled my ground strokes well. For the final match, I’ll be playing against Takashi Sanada, I think this will be our sixth encounter within this calendar year, and I think I’m gonna win,” said world No.1 Kunieda with a smile.

Friday’s final will be the fourth encounter between Kunieda and Sanada in a UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour event since January, their most recent meeting being the closest. Kunieda won their quarterfinal at the US Open USTA Championships in St Louis in August 76(5) 75 to take his unbeaten record against Sanada to 11 matches.

Whilst on opposite sides of the net on Friday, Kunieda and Sanada will be on the same side of the net on Thursday as they bid to make it back-to-back Asian Para Games men’s doubles titles.

Top seeds Kunieda and Sanada beat Sri Lankan third seeds D S R Dharmasena and R A L S Ranaweera 60 61 in their semifinal and will now play Korean opposition for the second time in the gold medal match. Four years ago Kunieda and Sanada beat Ha-Gel Lee and Sang-Ho Oh in the final. This time they will face Ho Won Im and Lee after the second seeds beat Thai fourth seeds Khlongrua and Sunthorn Sridang 76(2) 63 in the last four.