World champions beaten, Tomokazu Harimoto stuns again; this time with Yuto Kizukuri

One day earlier at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum China Open in Chengdu, he had caused a major upset in the opening round of the Men’s Singles event, when he beat the most experienced player on view, Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus; now one day later, on Friday 23rd June, in partnership with Japanese national team colleague, Yuto Kizukuri, Tomokazu Harimoto has caused another.

Not seeded, required to qualify, at the semi-final stage of the Men’s Doubles event, the duo recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat China’s Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the top seeds and reigning World champions, in a dramatic five games duel (6-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 14-12).

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Searching for the last time a Chinese pairing lost to adversaries from foreign shores after hold a two games to nil lead and, furthermore on home soil when the incumbent World champions, is like looking for snow in a Sahara desert oasis.

Trying to find a young pairing or younger player to have reached an ITTF World Tour Men’s Doubles final is much easier; there isn’t one.

Tomokazu Harimoto is just four days short of his 14th birthday, he is 13 years and 361 days old; he compatriot Yuto Kizukuri is 16 years and 244 days old.

However, they cannot compare with their female compatriots Mii Hirano and Mima Ito; when they won the Women’s Doubles title at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour German Open on Sunday 30th March, Mima Ito was 13 years 160 days old; Miu Hirano 13 years and 350 days old.

The result overshadows the fact that the outcome in Chengdu is an all Japanese Men’s Doubles final; they meet Jin Ueda and Maharu Yoshimura.

Likewise not seeded, at the quarter-final stage Jin Ueda and Maharu Yoshimura beat the French pairing of Tristan Flore and Emmanuel Lebesson (9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10), before overcoming the Swedish pairing of Kristian Karlsson and Jon Persson, the no.8 seeds (11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7).

At the quarter-final stage, Kristian Karlsson and Jon Persson had received a walk-over against China’s Ma Long and Zhang Jike, the no.3 seeds; Zhang Jike being injured.

In the opposite half of the draw, in the round of the last eight, Tomokazu Harimoto and Yuto Kizukuri had beaten Andrea Landrieu and Romain Lorentz, like Tristan Flore and Emmanuel Lebesson from France (11-7, 11-4, 12-10); Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin had accounted for Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit and Wong Chun Ting (10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 13-11).

The Men’s Doubles final is scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday 25th June.

ΠΗΓΗ:ITTF