 Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |  Photographer: Hiromasa Mano
Date: 10 Oct 2007 |
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| 10 Oct 2007 - Helen McFetridge | |
| Japanese taste success on Day 2 in Osaka |
Local fans in Osaka could celebrate today as three Japanese players defeated seeded opponents in the Osaka Mayor’s Cup.
Sho Katayama created a big upset in the boys’ event as he knocked out third seed Kittiphong Wachiramanowong (THA). Katayama has played just four tournaments on the ITF Junior Circuit this season, but he did claim a win over world number one Uladzimir Ignatik in one of them so his victory over Wachiramanowong could perhaps have been foreseen. In the next round Katayama will face compatriot Hiromasa Oku, who beat 14th seed Niall Angus (GBR) 62 76(5). Oku, a wild card ranked 900 in the world, only plays in Japan but had never won a main draw singles match until this week, although he reached the doubles final in Osaka last year.
In the girls’ event Shiho Otake upset sixth seed Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR). Otake, who had needed a 9-7 third set tiebreak to overcome wild card Risa Hasegawa in the first round, defeated the Ukrainian 63 75 to reach the third round of her first Grade A tournament.
Japan did lose one of their top hopes in the girls’ singles, however, when fifth seed Misaki Doi was knocked out by Romania’s Ana Bogdan in three sets. Japan’s other seeds had no problems, however, with Kurumi Nara, seeded four, Aki Yamasoto, seeded 10, and Miyabi Inoue, seeded 13, all making it through. The top three seeds also had comfortable wins, with Nikola Hofmanova (AUT), Ksenia Lykina (RUS) and Elena Chernyakova (RUS) having straight sets wins over Fumi Kawatoko, Ai Koga and Aika Osawa, all of Japan.
The boys’ singles lost its second seed when Harri Heliovaara (FIN), last year’s runner-up, was forced to retire after losing the first set to Alex Sanders, a member of Australia’s winning Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas team. Top seed Ricardo Urzua-Rivera (CHI) made it through after a slow start, as he defeated Great Britain’s Thomas Knights 76(6) 61. In the third round Urzua-Rivera will play Ryan Harrison (USA), who knocked out 13th seeded Belgian Alexandre Folie 64 64.
There are still two Japanese seeds left in the boys’ draw as number nine Hiroki Moriya defeated Yannik Reuter (BEL) 61 62 and number 11 Tadayuki Longhi beat Cheng-Peng Hsieh (TPE) 61 61.
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