WTT Star Contender Goa 2023: Shidong, Lebrun, Harimoto star on penultimate day

It turned out to be a super Saturday at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, with the Gen Next continuing its stellar show right through the week.

Published : Mar 04, 2023 22:47 IST , Panaji

Felix Lebrun in action at WTT Star Contender Goa 2023.
Felix Lebrun in action at WTT Star Contender Goa 2023. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
infoIcon

Felix Lebrun in action at WTT Star Contender Goa 2023. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Teenaged trio of Lin Shidong, Felix Lebrun and Miwa Harimoto emerged as the showstoppers on the penultimate day’s action of the WTT Star Contender Goa 2023.

It turned out to be a super Saturday at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, with the Gen Next continuing its stellar show right through the week. Shidong, 17, kept his sensational week going to make short work of 16-year-old Lebrun’s challenge in straight games in the semifinals to set up an all-Chinese men’s singles final.

Miwa, the 14-year-old from Japan, suffered a fate similar to her elder brother Tomokazu. She went down in the women’s singles semifinal after putting on a spirited show against top seed Wang Yidi in the semifinal. Miwa led 2-1 but eventually Wang used all her experience to stave off the challenge in 84 minutes and book a final face-off against unseeded Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei.

Shidong will take on Chinese counterpart Liang Jingkun, who halted crowd favourite Tomokazu’s march in four games. Liang’s fierce power, especially with his backhand winners, left a packed auditorium spellbound.

Despite matching Shidong’s speed in the semifinals, bespectacled Lebrun overcame Korea’s Woojin Jang in the quarterfinal in what was arguably the match of the day. Lebrun, with his penhold grip, was involved in sensational rallies against his fancied opponents as the match went right down the wire.

Trailing 8-10 in the decider, Lebrun forced Jang into a mistake with his serve before hitting an amazing crosscourt forehand topspin winner off the third ball. He went on to save another match point before closing the contest and receiving a standing ovation.

Miwa, meanwhile, turned out to be twice unlucky as her partner Shunsuke Togami and she lost to Jang and Jihee Jeon in the mixed doubles final.

Sunday will witness the finals of men’s and women’s singles and doubles finals.

The results:
Final: Mixed doubles: Woojin Jang & Jihee Jeon (KOR) bt Shunsuke Togami & Miwa Harimoto (Jpn) 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7.
Semifinals: Women’s singles: Cheng I-Ching (Tpe) bt Miu Hirano (Jpn) 12-10, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5; Wang Yidi (Chn) bt Miwa Harimoto (Jpn) 11-4, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8.
Men’s singles: Liang Jingkun (Chn) bt Tomokazu Harimoto (Jpn) 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5; Lin Shidong (Chn) bt Felix Lebrun (Fra) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4.
Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment