South Korea’s Jeong Sangeun suffered a shock loss on the opening day of the ITTF Japan Open in Tokyo ©ITTF

Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An and South Korea’s Jeong Sangeun were two of the most notable casualties as qualification action begun today at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Japan Open in Tokyo.

World number 36 Chen, who had partnered Cheng I-Ching to a silver medal finish in the mixed doubles event at the 2017 World Championships in Düsseldorf, was beaten by home favourite Yuki Hirano 12-10, 11-7, 11-6, 17-15 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

Hirano, the younger brother of Sayaka, has not appeared internationally since the 2016 United States Open and does not hold a world ranking.

Jeong, the world number 37 and the men’s singles runner-up at the 2017 ITTF Asian Championships in the Chinese city of Wuxi, lost to world number 160 Andrea Landrieu of France 7-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7.

Other surprise defeats were inflicted on Portuguese players, including world number 73 João Geraldo who was beaten by world number 184 Park Jeongwoo of South Korea 13-11, 7-11, 13-11, 11-8, 16-14.

Geraldo’s compatriot João Monteiro, the world number 45, lost to Chinese Taipei’s Chiang Hung-Chieh, the world number 114, 6-11, 14-12, 8-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8.

Park had earlier defeated Singapore’s Pang Xue Jie 11-4, 12-10, 11-4, 11-4, while Chiang overcame Russia’s Anvar Imankadyrov 11-3, 11-2, 11-1, 12-10.

Romania's Andreea Dragoman upset South Korea's Song Maeum today ©JTTA
Romania's Andreea Dragoman upset South Korea's Song Maeum today ©JTTA

In women’s qualification, Romania had a particularly successful day with Bernadette Szocs, Adina Diaconu and Andreea Dragoman all emerging successful in their opening matches.

World number 166 Dragoman was the one member of the trio to cause an upset as the 16-year-old beat world number 86 Song Maeum of South Korea 12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 10-12, 15-13.

Szocs defeated Russia’s Mariia Vinogradova 11-7, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7, while Diaconu overcame Chinese Taipei’s Li Yun-Jhun 11-6, 11-2, 11-3, 6-11, 11-5.

There was also plenty of joy for China who had three victors today, despite neither of them possessing a world ranking.

Chen Ke and Yuan Xuejiao both beat opponents from Hong Kong with the former accounting for world number 56 Ng Wing Nam 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 and the latter ending the hopes of world number 103 Mak Tze Wing courtesy of an 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-4 victory.

Sung Yingsha defeated world number 161 Huang Yu-Wen of Chinese Taipei 11-3, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4.

Qualification action is due to conclude tomorrow.