CANADA OPEN 2011 QF – Japanese underdogs survive

With four losses on quarter-finals day at the 2011 Yonex Canada Open, Japan could take heart in the wins by relatively unknown Nozomi Okuhara and Kazumasa Sakai.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Richmond.  Photos: Yves Lacroix for Badmintonphoto (live)

Tiny 16-year-old Nozomi Okuhara (pictured) charged into her first ever Grand Prix semi-final today with a win over New Zealand’s Michelle Chan.  Chan – who says the ‘ky’ after her name came from her Chinese initials and was added by parties unknown to distinguish her from a younger compatriot – never really got a look in as the young Nozomi scrambled about the court and maintained her consistency to pull off a 21-10, 21-12 victory.

“It was very different from yesterday’s match,” said a very determined Nozomi after her match in halting but persistent and surprisingly proficient English.  “Ayane Kurihara is very strong and she is near the top in Japan whereas I am way down here so it was very difficult to play.  She has many strong shots so I have to be very careful receiving on defense.

Nozomi finished her match today, as she has all week, without letting her smile lapse once but she suggested those looks could be deceiving: “I don’t think I am always enjoying myself on the court.  Inside, there is stress.

Nozomi made the transition from junior to playing some senior events last year and won her first senior international title, the Austrian International Challenge, before turning 15 in May, and she commented on some of the differences.

“At these tournaments, there are many countries and each has a different style,” she said.

“Tomorrow against Cheng Shao Chieh, she is very strong and I have to be careful about getting into drive exchanges with her.

“I hope to win, of course, but it will be difficult so I will try not to think about winning or losing and to enjoy myself.”

Even before Nozomi had booked her semi-final spot, another little-known Japanese player, Kazumasa Sakai (pictured), had made his own way in to the final four with another upset of a seeded European.  After beating 2010 runner-up Brice Leverdez in the second round, Sakai won in three games over European Circuit ace Pablo Abian, coming back from a game down to take it 12-21, 21-16, 21-15.

Sakai goes on to face the top European in the draw, Germany’s Marc Zwiebler, who faced his first Asian opponent of the week today and prevailed over Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit.

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