While the top seeds held their ground on day two of the ROKETTO Sydney International 2025, several players made it clear they’re not here just to make up the numbers.
Men’s Singles
Top seed Wang Po-Wei (TPE) was pushed to the limit by Japan’s Koshiro Moriguchi in a match that stretched over 45 minutes. After dropping the second game, Wang regrouped and closed out the decider with sharp control, winning 15-11, 6-15, 15-8.
Vietnam’s Le Duc Phat held firm against England’s Rohan Thool, surviving a competitive encounter 15-10, 15-10. His consistency and calm under pressure saw him through to the next round.
Women’s Singles
India’s Tasnim Mir delivered one of the most gripping performances of the day. After dominating the first game against Japan’s Kanae Sakai, Mir found herself trailing 10-14 in the second. She launched a fierce comeback, nearly flipping the game with a string of attacking plays that brought her within reach of a straight-games win. Sakai narrowly held on to take the second 15-13, but Mir responded with a commanding third game to seal the match 15-7, 13-15, 15-5.
Top seed Tung Ciou-Tong (TPE) was clinical in her straight-games victory over India’s Imad Farooqui Samiya, winning 15-7, 15-7. Her control and consistency never wavered.
Men’s Doubles
Japan’s Haruki Kawabe/Kenta Matsukawa, runners-up at both the CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open and CENTURY INSURANCE Saipan International earlier this year, were pushed to the edge by New Zealand’s Raphael Deloy/Adam Jeffrey. The Kiwi pair, still early in their international journey, showed how far they’ve come. Their connection on court was evident, and despite falling 12-15, 18-20, they left with plenty of positives and a growing reputation.
Japan’s Yudai Nagafuchi/Kota Ogawa pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the day. They upset second seeds Chang Ko-Chi/Po Li-Wei (TPE) in straight games. The Japanese pair came out strong, taking the first game 15-9. The second was a nail-biter, with both sides refusing to give an inch, but Nagafuchi and Ogawa held their nerve to close it out 20-18. Their aggressive play and tight coordination proved too much for the seeded pair.
Women’s Doubles
The match between Alphonsa Bijomon/Xiwen Liang (AUS) and Yanxi Liu (NZL)/Angela Shen (AUS) was a crowd-puller. The pairs were inseparable across three games, trading leads and momentum. In the end, Bijomon and Liang edged ahead in a dramatic finish, winning 16-14, 12-15, 19-17.
