# Former Thomas Cupper retires in the third set because of an injured right shoulder
# Japan’s Ayumi Mine wins women’s singles
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By Rizal Abdullah
Former Thomas Cupper Daren Liew’s hopes of winning his first title as a professional ended in pain when he was forced to quit midway in the men’s singles final in the USD55,000 Taiwan Masters at the Hsing Chuang Gymnasium in Taipei on Sunday.
The 29-year-old Malaysian retired in the third set at 3-3 after losing the first two sets 10-21, 10-12 to India’s world No 82 Sourabh Verma after 28 minutes of play when he could no longer lift his right arm and was struggling on the court.
Daren Liew, ranked No 106, was hoping to win his maiden title as a professional, more so in memory of his late grandmother who passed away when he was in Taipei after competing in the SCG Thailand Open. He was beaten in the quarter-finals in the Thailand Open.
It was also a disappointing end to hosts Taiwan when their men’s doubles, No 1 seeds Chen Hung Ling-Wang Chi-Lin were beaten in the final by young Indonesian pair of Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto 11-6, 11-6, 13-11, 9-11, 12-10 in a 57 minute final.
The champions took home USD4,345 in prize money while the losers pocketed USD2,090 for their efforts.
The all-Japan women’s final saw No 3 seed Ayumi Mine take the title with a 12-10, 7-11, 11-9, 12-10 win over Saena Kawakami to pocket USD4,125 in prize money. The 18-year-old Saena was USD2,090 richer.
The women’s doubles saw another all-Japan affair with No 1 seeds Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota romping home to an easy 12-10, 11-5, 11-7 win over No 4 seeds Shiho Tanaka-Koharu Yonemoto in 29 minutes.
Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet took the mixed doubles title as they romped to a straight sets 11-3, 11-7, 14-12 victory against Japan’s Ryota Taohata-Koharu Yonemoto in the 21 minute final.
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RESULTS (All Finals)
Men’s singles
Sourabh Verma (Ind) beat Daren Liew (Mas) 12-10, 12-10, 3-3 (rtd)
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Men’s doubles
Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto (Ina) beat Chen Hung Ling-Wang Chi-Lin (Tpe) 11-6, 11-6, 11-13, 9-11, 12-10
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Women’s singles
Ayumi Mine (Jpn) beat Saena Kawakami (Jpn) 12-10, 7-11, 11-9, 12-10
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Women’s doubles
Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (Jpn) beat Shiho Tanaka-Koharu Yonemoto (Jpn) 12-10, 11-5, 11-7
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Mixed doubles
Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) beat Ryota Taohata-Koharu Yonemoto (Jpn) 11-3, 11-7, 14-12
