Jun Mizutani Wins Third Title of Year, Completes Clean Sweep for Japan in Australia

2016 ITTF World Tour Australian Open
Courtesy of ITTF

Top seed and clear favorite for the title, Jun Mizutani fulfilled expectations to win the Men’s Singles title at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Australian Open in Melbourne on the late afternoon of Sunday June 12th.

At the final hurdle he accounted for Singapore’s Li Hu, the no.2 seed, to secure the top step of the medal podium; furthermore, he emerged successful in a most emphatic manner, he won in four straight games (11-8, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6).

Eighth of Career
The win meant he secured his third ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles title of the year, the eighth of his career in 12 final appearances.

Notably he won for the first time in Korea in 2009, before succeeding in Hungary in 2010. Later in 2012 he won in both Kuwait and on home soil in Japan. Four successes, the fifth came in 2015 when he won in Austria.

Earlier this year, prior to his visit to Melbourne, he won in Poland and Slovenia.

Grand Finals
Also, you can add the list of successes, in 2010 in Seoul and 2014 in Bangkok; he emerged successful at the prestigious Grand Finals.

First Appearance
Meanwhile for Li Hu, it was his first ever appearance in an ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles final.

However, he is not without success on the ITTF World Tour; he has enjoyed notable Men’s Doubles success in partnership with Gao Ning.

In 2012 they clinched the Men’s Doubles event in Kuwait, before later in the year winning at the Grand Finals in Hangzhou, a title they were to defend one year later when the event was held in Dubai.

Title
Success for Li Hu in Kuwait, Hangzhou and Dubai but in Melbourne the day belonged to Japan.

Notably the success recorded by Jun Mizutani secured a 21st ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles title for Japan in a total of 34 occasions when players from the Land of the Rising Sun have appeared in the title deciding contest.

Full House
Furthermore, the win recorded by Jun Mizutani meant that Japan completed a clean sweep of titles in Melbourne with honors shared; no player won more than one title.

One day earlier Mizuki Oikawa and Miyu Kato had won the respective Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles events.

Meanwhile, earlier on the concluding day of action, Honoka Hashomoto and Hitomi Sato had secured the Women’s Doubles crown, Takuya Jin and Yuki Morita had been crowned Men’s Doubles champions with Hina Hayata securing the top prize in the Women’s Doubles competition.