Paul Drinkhall was defeated by world No 50 Yukiya Uda in the final preliminary round at the Hungarian Open, but Tin-Tin Ho is into the doubles main draw.
Drinkhall won his first match of the day, repeating his victory over Italy’s Niagol Stoyanov from the Portugal Open last week, to set up the clash with Uda.
He led the Japanese player 1-0 and 2-1 before succumbing to a 4-2 defeat in a match that was always close.
Click here to watch Drinkhall versus Uda (registration required).
The defeat means ninth seed Liam Pitchford is England’s only singles representative left in Budapest and enters the fray in the last 32 tomorrow against Russian Alexander Shibaev (WR 93).
Ho’s women’s singles tie against world No 43 Polina Mikhailova ended in a 4-0 defeat which obscures the closeness of the match, particularly in prolonged second and third games which the Russian took 14-12 and 17-15.
However, Ho and her partner Karoline Mischek of Austria are into the main draw of the women’s doubles thanks to a 3-1 victory over Serbian pair Izabela Lupulesku & Sabina Surjan today. They face seventh seeds Adriana & Melanie Diaz of Puerto Rico tomorrow.
In the men’s doubles, Drinkhall & Sam Walker were beaten in three straight by Sweden’s Anton Kallberg & Elias Ranefur in the second preliminary round.
Results
Men’s Singles
Preliminary round 3
Paul Drinkhall bt Niagol Stoyanov (ITA) 4-2 (11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-8)
Preliminary round 4
Yukiya Uda (JPN) bt Drinkhall 4-2 (8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9)
Women’s Singles
Preliminary round 2
Polina Mikhailova (RUS) bt Tin-Tin Ho 4-0 (11-8, 14-12, 17-15, 11-6)
Men’s Doubles
Preliminary round 2
Anton Kallberg & Elias Ranefur (SWE) bt Paul Drinkhall & Sam Walker 3-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-6)
Women’s Doubles
Preliminary round 2
Ho & Mischek bt Izabela Lupulesku & Sabina Surjan (SRB) 3-1 (11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-8)