Timo Boll and Wang Yue Gu Crowned in Kobe

Germany's Timo Boll and Singapore's Wang Yue Gu won the respective Men's and Women's Singles titles at the Japan Open, which concluded in Kobe on Sunday 4th July 2010.

Seeded no.1, Timo BOLL beat Korea's JOO Se Hyuk, the no.3 seed, at the semi-final stage before overcoming the host nation's second seeded, Jun Mizutani in the final.

It was the 23rd appearance for Timo Boll in an ITTF Pro Tour Men's Singles final and he maintained his quite incredible conversion rate. He has now won on 19 occasions since first appearing in the gold medal contest in Brazil in 2001.

Success for the more experienced player and that was the scenario in the Women's Singles event.

WANG Yue Gu, now 30 years old, beat 15 year old Zhu Yuling of China to clinch the top prize in the Women's Singles event; seeded no.3, Wang Yue Gu defeated top seed, Korea's Kim Kyung Ah in the semi-finals before overcoming Zhu Yuling.

Winner of the Girls' Singles title at the ITTF Junior Circuit tournament in Chengdu, China in June; it was Zhu Yuling's first ever ITTF Pro Tour appearance; whilst for Wang Yue Gu it was her fourth ITTF Pro Tour career Women's Singles title in seven finals.

Success for visitors to Japanese shores and there was success for the host nation, both Men's and Women's Doubles crowns finished in Japanese hands.

Kenta Matsudaira and Koki Niwa won the Men's Doubles title beating the more experienced Hong Kong partnership of Jiang Tianyi and Leueng Chu Yan at the final hurdle, to follow the example set by Yuka Ishigaki and Yuri Yamanashi

One contest earlier to start the finals' programme, they had beaten Chinese Taipei's ChengI-Ching and Huang Yi-Hua to secure gold.

It was for all four Japanese players their first ever ITTF Pro Tour doubles titles.

Men's Singles

Semi-Finals

Timo BOLL(GER) bt JOO Se Hyuk (KOR) 11-7, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7

Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) bt LI Ching (HKG) 11-9, 11-9, 11-7, 4-11, 11-7

Final

Timo BOLL(GER) bt Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) 11-2,12-14, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4

Women's Singles

Semi-Finals

WANG Yue Gu (SIN) bt KIM Kyung Ah (KOR) 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-4

ZHU Yuting (CHN) bt PARK Mi Young (KOR) 11-8, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6

Final

WANG Yue Gu (SIN) bt ZHU Yuting (CHN) 11-7, 17-15, 11-6, 11-1

Men's Doubles

Final

Kenta MATSUDAIRA/Koki NIWA (JPN) bt JIANG Tianyi/LEUNG Chu Yan (HKG) 6-11, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11,11-4, 14-16, 11-1

Women's Doubles

Final

Yuka ISHIGAKI/Yuri YAMANASHI (JPN) bt CHENG I-Ching/HUANG Yi-Hua (TPE) 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 11-3, 9-11, 11-3

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