At the 23rd Summer Universiade in Izmir, Turkey, Jack Hui and Brian Hung defeated the Thai pairing of Weerapat Doakmaiklee and Kirati Siributwong, 7-5, 7-5, to advance to a third round date with No. 1 seeds, Artem and Dmitri Sitak, of Russia while the territory's other representative, Lam Po Kuen, was stopped short of a place in the third round of the women's singles when she was upended in straight sets by eighth-seeded world No. 322, Lauren Breadmore, of Australia.
The Sitaks won the Spain F12 doubles title back in June and losing in the Uzbekistan F2 final to Alexey Kedriouk and Sunil-Kumar Sipaeye in April. Their best finish higher up was at the Saransk Challenger in Russia just earlier this month where they got to the semis. They also won three successive Futures doubles together at the tail-end of last year at the Qatar F3, F4, and F5.
Brian and Polly will also contest the Mixed Doubles when they square off with New Zealand's Dianne Hollands and Warwick Foy in the opening round later today. Chinese Taipei's Chen Ti and Chuang Chia-Jung are the top seeds.
Earlier, both Jack Hui and Brian Hung crashed out early in the men's singles, as the former went down against Czech world No. 1178, Jan Riha, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, after having won a hard-fought opening set in the first round while Brian, the No. 16 seed, was upset by France's world No. 1471, Pierre Mentenier, in a round two match over the weekend.
News from Izmir was that the Frenchman played really tough from the backcourt where he barely missed much, pinning down the Hong Kong Davis Cupper often with long, drawn-out rallies deep behind the baseline. Mentenier was also able to ward off the incoming Hong Kong representative by producing well placed passing shots, especially towards the business ends of both sets to claim victory.
The Frenchman had subsequently reached the last sixteen where he will go up against No. 4 seed Filip Urban of Poland.
Chinese Taipei's Wang Yeu-Tzuoo, presently ranked at a career-high No. 122, is the top seed for the men's singles, followed by Victor Bruthans of the Slovak Republic (No. 250) at two, and Chen Ti of Taiwan (No. 273) at three.
In the Women's Singles, Korean number one, Cho Yoon-Jeong, world ranked 73rd, is seeded first, followed by Eva Hrdinova of the Czech Republic (No. 180) at two; Taiwan's Hsieh Su-Wei (No. 217) and Chan Chin-Wei (No. 236) at three and four; and 2003 semifinalist Stanislava Hrozenska of the Slovak Republic at five (No. 256).
Polly, currently ranked 766, had earlier defeated Monika Schneider of Poland, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, in the first round of the women's singles.
Over a hundred countries totaling more than 9,000 competitors are participating at the 23rd Summer Universiade. Besides tennis, other sporting disciplines include Athletics, Artistic & Rhythmic Gymnastics, Fencing, Diving, Water Polo, Basketball, Football, Volleyball, Swimming, Wrestling, Sailing, Taekwondo, and Archery.
The official mascot of the Games is the White-Breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis).
Results
23rd Summer Universiade
Izmir, Turkey
12-20 August 2005
Men's Singles
First Round
Jan Riha (CZE) d. Jack Hui (HKG) 6-7 6-3 6-3
Second Round
Pierre Mentenier (FRA) d. (16)Brian Hung (HKG) 6-1 6-4
Women's Singles
First Round
Lam Po Kuen (HKG) d. Monika Schneider (POL) 2-6 7-5 6-4
Second Round
(8)Lauren Breadmore (AUS) d. Lam Po Kuen (HKG) 6-1 6-0
Men's Doubles
Second Round
Jack Hui/Brian Hung (HKG) d. Weerapat Doakmaiklee/Kirati Siributwong (THA) 7-5 7-5
Photos courtesy of 23rd Universiade