(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)
USA’s Kanak Jha doubled up on Saturday, winning early against Simon Gauzy (World No. 20), and winning Saturday evening against Hiroto Shinozuka (World No. 32). By reaching the Final, Jha has already added 280 points – enough to jump seven or eight spots in the World rankings. But Jha is eyeing a title – which would bring a cash prize of $5,000 and potentially launch him into the Top 20.
Jha is really on his game this week. Despite this WTT Contender event missing the top echelon of elite players, Jha has been tested in each round. Deni Kozul was Jha’s opening round – a dangerous Slovenian player currently World No. 95, but who is capable of playing well and has upsets over Jorgic and Kamal to prove that. Jha next topped Marcos Freitas who at 38 is a little past his prime – but with his experience and some trickery is capable of beating anyone. Jha then upset former TTBL teammate Simon Gauzy, and finished the day with a win over a rising Japanese player (with about the same ranking). The Jha-Shinozuka battle was a strange one as the players won every other game (Jha won first, third, and fifth), but none of the game scores were close. One player pulled ahead, and closed out the game – it just wasn’t the same player twice in a row.
Darko Jorgic (World No. 15) was also pressed in the Semifinals today. Jorgic won the first game 11-9, before momentum shifted and Anton Kallberg won two easy games in a row at 11-5 and 11-5. The fourth game was decisive as the players were tied at 10, and then again at 11 before Jorgic won 13-11. Jorgic then continued his momentum in the fifth for an 11-7 win.
The finals are set for Sunday.
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