Qualification Round – Men’s Singles
Two former world junior champions, a former world #1, and a former world junior #1 were sent packing on Day 1’s qualification rounds at the 2019 Australian Open.
2015 World Junior Champion and 2016 Sydney International winner Lu Chia Hung of Taiwan ran out of steam while leading three quarters of the way into the rubber game against Soong Joo Ven. 9-21, 21-12, 17-21.
2016 World Junior Champion Sun Feixiang of China also met his demise also at the hands of a Malaysian, Cheam June Wei. 16-21, 19-21.
Lakshya Sen of India, last year’s world #1 junior in boy’s singles, very nearly levelled the match but a fault serve called on his game point threw his concentration to let Tanongsak Saesomboonsuk seal proceedings, 21-11, 23-21.
Former world #1, Lee Hyun Il, left the cruise control on for too long and lost to Indonesian Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo despite reaching match point first and having his opponent figured out. 21-19, 12-21, 22-20.
Qualification Round – Doubles
Three Korean former world #1 men advanced into the main draw.
2014 and 2015 Australian Superseries men’s doubles winners Lee Yong Dae / Yoo Yeon Seong were crowd favourites of the day. They breezed past the NSW pair of Lukas Defolky / Raymond Tam, 21-8, 21-15.
2014 Australian Superseries mixed doubles winner Ko Sung Hyun with current partner, World Championship silver medallist Eom Hye Won, also had little trouble clearing their Canadian hurdle of Kirsten Tsai / Nyl Yakura, 21-13, 21-12.
Round 1 – Mixed Doubles
Hong Kong’s world #9 Tse Ying Suet / Tang Chun Man cause the upset of the day by downing the world #8 defending champions Chae Yujung / Seo Seung Jae of Korea for the first time in their three meetings, 21-16, 21-16.
Seventh seeds Gabrielle Adcock / Chris Adcock were on course to wrap things up in straight games but former world #2 Lu Kai with current partner Chen Lu dragged it out. The Brits’ superior game plan nevertheless delivered a 21-17, 21-23, 21-19 victory.
The full draw and results are available on Tournament Software.
