PANAJI: The WTT Star Contender Goa ended just the way it had started — with a major upset. If world No. 1 Fan Zhendong was the biggest casualty at the first stage, the tournament folded up on Sunday with another major upset, this time the top pair of Shunsuke Togami and Yukiya Uda biting the dust in the men’s doubles final.
The world No. 1 pair from Japan had to dig deep all through their campaign to survive, including the semifinals where they won a tense five-setter. However, they ran out of luck in the final against An Jaehyun and Cho Seungmin at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium in Taleigao.
The South Koreans won 11-3, 9-11, 12- 10, 11-4 to add to their Star Contender men's doubles title from Doha in 2021.
The men’s singles final almost saw another upset, but Liang Jingkun (World No. 7) drew on his vast experience to beat young Lin Shidong 11-6, 9-11, 10-12, 12-10, 12-10, 11-9 in an exacting all-China final.
Shidong, aged 17, won two of the first three games and then led 7-2, thanks to his lightning-fast forehand loops and counter-topspin strokes. But just when the young star was growing in confidence, Liang upped his game to stage a marvellous recovery, winning games after being down 7-10 in the fourth and 8-10 in the fifth.
“Lin Shidong did very well but even when I was down (after the first three games), I was confident of a comeback,”
he told TOI after the game. “Mentally, you have to stay strong. In sports, even when you are down, you have to believe in a comeback and win the game. That’s what we always aim for.”
World No. 4 and top seed Wang Yidi did not have to stretch much as she secured a straightforward straight-sets win
against Cheng I-Ching to win the women’s singles title. Wang produced a mesmerising display to overwhelm World No. 31 Cheng in straight sets.
“My semifinal was more difficult (against Miwa Harimoto),” said Wang, who has now won her second Star Contender title. “I did well today and the match went according to my plan. I just took one game at a time. I am glad that I made it to
the top.”
There was a fairy-tale ending to Miwa Harimoto’s campaign. The Japan youngster, aged just 14, won the hearts during her time in the championship and capped it with the double’s title.
