WTT Contender: Easy sailing for Tomokazu Harimoto; Andreas Levenko stuns sixth-seed Liam Pitchford  

Sixth-seeded Liam Pitchford was stunned by Austrian Andreas Levenko 11-4, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7 in the men’s singles round of 32 clash during the ongoing WTT Contender in Doha on Wednesday (March 3).

In another upset of the day, world no.123 Mariia Tailakova defeated compatriot Polina Mikhailova in a women’s singles first-round clash at the WTT Contender.

World No.15 Pitchford, who had suffered a hand injury during training a few days earlier, looked out of sorts in the first two rounds as Levenko took total control of the game having beaten opponents higher than him in the qualifying rounds.

28-year-old Pitchford won the third game to reduce the deficit but the Austrian outshone his opponent in the fourth game to set up a round of 16 clash with Cho Daeseong, who beat Yukiya Uda 11-8, 12-10, 12-14, 5-11, 11-4.

Pitchford knocked out of WTT Contender event ❌@WTableTennis @ittfworld #WTTDoha #WTT #tabletennishttps://t.co/L4E3vX8FDj

— Table Tennis England (@TableTennisENG) March 3, 2021

Meanwhile, unseeded Russian Tailakova cruised into the next round of the WTT Contender with a 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 win over her higher-ranked opponent. The 20-year-old won the first game before 46th ranked Mikhailakova grabbed the second to level 1-1.

But it was Tailakova who showed great composure and nerves to win the next two and sail into the next round. She will meet Jeon Ji-hee next.

Tomokazu Harimoto, Hugo Calderano, Lin Yun-Ju reign supreme

Meanwhile in the other matches of the day at the WTT Contender, top paddlers Tomokazu Harimoto, Hugo Calderano and Lin Yun-Ju all registered victories in their respected games.

Japanese Harimoto had it easy against Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan winning 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 in straight sets.

WTT Contender Top seed Harimoto, a winner of double silver in the 2018 Youth Olympics, got an initial resistance but came back strongly to win the first game. He continued the momentum to win the next two games with ease. Harimoto will next face Lee Sang-su next.

Few fans are allowed into the Lusail Multipurpose Hall in Doha, the venue of the ongoing World Table Tennis Tournament, albeit under strict Covid-19 rules.#WTTDoha pic.twitter.com/kKam8QY2gn

— Latifat Adebayo Ohio (@Phatill) March 4, 2021

Brazilian Gustavo Tsuboi gave a tough fight before going down to compatriot and second seed Calderano 10-12, 11-8, 10-12, 10-1 at the WTT tournament. Calderano won the first game before Gustavo took the second to level the scores.

But it was Calderano who had the last laugh, winning the next two games to pocket the match. Calderano next faces An Jae-hyun.

Third-seed Yun-Ju emerged triumphant against Germany’s Benedikt Duda 9-11, 12-10, 15-17, 11-9, 11-6. He will next play India's Sharath Kamal.