Dove Saipan Int’l gets underway

The last Badminton World Federation Grade 3 International Challenge tournament—the Dove Saipan International 2024—went underway yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium after a day’s break from the recent Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2024.

The men’s singles champion of the Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2024, Chinese Taipei’s Kai Cheng, labored through his opening match in this tourney.

He barely escaped Thailand’s Varot Uraiwong as they went to three sets, 21-13, 11-21, 21-11.

In the last set though, Cheng recuperated and went on the offensive and tired Uraiwong out with back-to-back hard smashes that led to multiple points. Cheng’s newfound momentum then carried him to the crucial third set win after faltering in the second and solidifying his spot in the next round.

Other top seeds started the tourney off strong as women’s No. 3 seed, Chinese Taipei’s Sih Yun Lin, put her best foot forward against Japan’s Momoka Kimura, 21-13, 21-17.

Women’s No. 5 Akari Kurihara made light work of the NMI’s Genelyn Lansangan, 21-3, 21-5; women’s No. 6 seed Riko Gunji of Japan defeated Yu-Hsuan Lee, 21-12, 21-15; and No. 7 Ching Ping Huang won over Yun-Shan Hsieh, 21-12, 21-14.

At press time, not all matches are finished.

Aryamann Tandon defeated Chen Jia Chu, 21-17, 21-17; So Yul Choi beat Mihane Endo 21-13, 21-7; Sakura Masuki beat Xin Yi Lee, 21-12, 21-13; and Ryoma Muramoto beat Cheng-Han Tsai in three tough sets 23-21, 23-21, 14-21.

Then, Airi Oku won over the NMI’s Lina Tsukagoshi, 21-7, 21-4; Chang Min Wu edged Sam Yuan, 21-14, 21-18; and Yu-Chi Yang went in three sets, 21-15, 19-21, 21-15.

Shaunna Li bested Zih Ling Huang, 21-17, 21-14; Yen-Chen Ting toughed it out in three sets against Eogene Ewe, 21-16, 15-21, 21-16; and Yi Liu made light work of the NMI’s Andreau Galvez, 21-8, 21-10.

More NMI badminton players have yet to share the courts with international players from 15 other countries.

The tourney will run until Saturday, July 13.