Day Four of the DOVE Saipan International 2024: Quarterfinals and Semifinals Deliver Intense Action

12 July 2024 – Day four of the DOVE Saipan International 2024 (9-13 July) featured both the quarterfinals and semifinals in an action-packed day. As the tournament nears its conclusion, the level of play has intensified, with thrilling rallies captivating the arena. The quarterfinal rounds began at 10 AM, followed by the semifinals round at 5PM local time at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Quaterfinals –

Mixed Doubles: The day kicked off with exciting mixed doubles matches. Yu Hsiang Chou and Yang Chu Yun from Chinese Taipei defeated the strong Japanese pair Ogawa and Kurashima, becoming the first Chinese Taipei pair to advance to the semifinals at either the CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open 2024 or the DOVE Saipan International 2024. Meanwhile, Hiroki Nishi and Akari Sato from Japan, the tournament’s top seeds, cruised through their semifinal match. Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara from Japan also secured their place in the semifinals.

• Yu Hsiang Chou/Yang Chu Yun (TPE) def. Kota Ogawa/Misaki Kurashima (JPN): 22-20, 21-13
• Hiroki Nishi/Akari Sato (JPN) [1] def. Ting Yen-Chen/Wang Yi Zhen (TPE): 21-16, 21-13
• Yuichi Shimogami/Sayaka Hobara (JPN) def. An Yun Seong/Kim Hye Jeong (KOR): 21-17, 21-13

Women’s Singles: The women’s singles matches brought their own share of surprises. Riko Gunji from Japan made a stunning comeback from her earlier absence, defeating the number three seed Lin Sih Yun from Chinese Taipei in straight sets. In another upset, Yang Yu-Chi from Chinese Taipei triumphed over Japan’s number five seed Akari Kurihara in a three-game thriller. Asuka Takahashi from Japan also advanced, defeating the number two seed Lin Hsiang Ti from Chinese Taipei.

• Riko Gunji (JPN) [6] def. Lin Sih Yun (TPE) [3]: 21-17, 21-18
• Yang Yu-Chi (TPE) def. Akari Kurihara (JPN) [5]: 22-20, 11-21, 21-16
• Asuka Takahashi (JPN) def. Lin Hsiang Ti (TPE) [2]: 21-10, 21-19

Men’s Singles: In the men’s singles, Ryoma Muramoto from Japan secured a significant victory over the number one seed and Paris Olympic hopeful Viren Nettasinghe from Sri Lanka. Fellow Japanese player Riku Hatano also triumphed, defeating Huang Yu from Chinese Taipei in straight sets. Malaysia’s Justin Hoh delivered an efficient performance, quickly dispatching Kim Byung Jae from Korea to reach his second consecutive semifinals in Saipan.

• Ryoma Muramoto (JPN) def. Viren Nettasinghe (SRI) [1]: 21-18, 21-16
• Riku Hatano (JPN) [4] def. Huang Yu (TPE) [7]: 21-15, 21-17
• Justin Hoh (MAS) [5] def. Kim Byung Jae (KOR): 21-12, 21-13

Women’s Doubles: The women’s doubles saw intense rivalry matches between pairs from the same countries. Kokona Ishikawa and Mio Konegawa from Japan triumphed over compatriots Mihane Endo and Mei Sudo. Similarly, Nicole Gonzales Chan and Yang Chu Yun from Chinese Taipei defeated their teammates Lin Yu-Hao and Liu Chiao-Yun. Japanese pair Akari Sato and Maya Taguchi also advanced, overcoming Tidaprom Kleebyeesun and Nattamon Laisuan from Thailand.

• Kokona Ishikawa/Mio Konegawa (JPN) [3] def. Mihane Endo/Mei Sudo (JPN): 21-17, 21-14
• Nicole Gonzales Chan/Yang Chu Yun (TPE) [2] def. Lin Yu-Hao/Liu Chiao-Yun (TPE): 21-13, 21-16
• Akari Sato/Maya Taguchi (JPN) def. Tidaprom Kleebyeesun/Nattamon Laisuan (THA): 21-14, 21-13

Men’s Doubles: In the men’s doubles, Tori Aizawa and Daisuke Sano from Japan defeated the number four seeds Chan Yueh Lin and Chu Bo Rong from Chinese Taipei. Another Japanese pair, Shuntaro Mezaki and Haruya Nishida, overcame Nachakorn Pusri and Tovannakasem Samatcha from Thailand, resulting in an all-Japanese semifinal.

• Tori Aizawa/Daisuke Sano (JPN) def. Chan Yueh Lin/Chu Bo Rong (TPE) [4]: 21-17, 21-16
• Shuntaro Mezaki/Haruya Nishida (JPN) def. Nachakorn Pusri/Tovannakasem Samatcha (THA): 22-20, 21-9

Semifinals –

Mixed Doubles: The mixed doubles semifinals featured a fierce contest between Japan and Chinese Taipei. Number one seeds Hiroki Nishi and Akari Sato efficiently dispatched their opponents, Yu Hsiang Chou and Yang Chu Yun, in straight sets. On the other court, despite winning the first game, the Chinese Taipei pair could not maintain their dominance over the recently crowned CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open mixed doubles champions, Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara, falling behind in the next two games. This sets up an all-Japanese final in the mixed doubles category.

• Hiroki Nishi/Akari Sato (JPN) def. Yu Hsiang Chou/Yang Chu Yun (TPE): 21-17, 21-7
• Yuichi Shimogami/Sayaka Hobara (JPN) def. Liao Chao Pang/Lin Yu-Hao (TPE): 20-22, 21-18, 21-16

Women’s Singles: In the women’s singles semifinals, CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open women’s singles champion and fourth seed, Kaoru Sugiyama, faced her teammate, eighth seed Asuka Takahashi. In a surprisingly one-sided match, Takahashi emerged victorious. Similarly, Japanese sixth seed Riko Gunji defeated Yang Yu-Chi from Chinese Taipei in another dominant performance. The finals will feature an exciting clash between two Japanese players.

• Asuka Takahashi (JPN) [8] def. Kaoru Sugiyama (JPN) [4]: 21-11, 21-14
• Riko Gunji (JPN) [6] def. Yang Yu-Chi (TPE): 21-11, 21-6

Men’s Singles: In the men’s singles semifinals, Justin Hoh of Malaysia faced Huang Ping-Hsien of Chinese Taipei. Hoh clinched the win in two closely contested games, securing his spot in back-to-back finals in Saipan. At the same time, a Japanese domestic rivalry saw Ryoma Muramoto take on Riku Hatano. Muramoto continued his impressive run, defeating Hatano in two swift sets.

• Justin Hoh (MAS) [5] def. Huang Ping-Hsien (TPE): 21-18, 21-19
• Ryoma Muramoto (JPN) def. Riku Hatano (JPN) [4]: 21-14, 21-8

Men’s Doubles: The men’s doubles semifinals continued the theme of Japanese rivalries. The top-seeded pair, Kazuki Shibata and Naoki Yamada, triumphed over Tori Aizawa and Daisuke Sano in three hard-fought games. Meanwhile, Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami defeated Shuntaro Mezaki and Haruya Nishida to secure back-to-back finals appearances. Shimogami will once agin be in the finals for both mixed doubles and men’s doubles.

• Kazuki Shibata/Naoki Yamada (JPN) [1] def. Tori Aizawa/Daisuke Sano (JPN): 25-23, 19-21, 21-15
• Takumi Nomura/Yuichi Shimogami (JPN) [3] def. Shuntaro Mezaki/Haruya Nishida (JPN) [2]: 21-16, 21-10

Women’s Doubles: In an intense and well-played three-game match lasting 74 minutes, the Korean sister duo Kim Hye Jeong and Kim Yu Jung faced off against Japan’s Akari Sato and Maya Taguchi. The match culminated in a nail-biting finish, with both sides losing points due to errors. Ultimately, the sister pair emerged victorious, advancing to the finals. In the last match of the day, Japanese third seeds Kokona Ishikawa and Mio Konegawa battled Nicole Gonzales Chan and Yang Chu Yun from Chinese Taipei. In another closely contested match that lasted 64 minutes, Ishikawa and Konegawa came from behind to secure their place in the finals.

• Kim Hye Jeong/Kim Yu Jung (KOR) def. Akari Sato/Maya Taguchi (JPN): 21-17, 19-21, 22-20
• Kokona Ishikawa/Mio Konegawa (JPN) [3] def. Nicole Gonzales Chan/Yang Chu Yun (TPE) [2]: 12-21, 21-14, 21-14