Vincent Picard is through to the main draw in Muscat. (Photo WTT)
The final day of qualifying was filled with dramatic upsets and sweeping performances at WTT Star Contender Muscat 2025, as players brought red-hot table tennis to Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex.
Stealing the spotlight in the men’s singles was Vincent Picard, as he shocked fans by overcoming top qualifying seed Lim Jonghoon in a five game-thriller 8-11, 21-19, 12-10, 8-11, 13-11.
With a bye in Qualifying Round 1, and a 3-0 victory over Ali Alkhadrawi on Monday, Picard brought strong momentum into his battle against Korean favourite Lim.Vincent Picard is through to the main draw in Muscat.
In five breath-taking games, Frenchman Picard would prevail, stealing Jonghoon’s ticket to the main draw in Muscat, where he will meet compatriot Flavien Coton in the Round of 64.
Another French player also showcased his talents with Joe Seyfried taking down Pang Koen, also in five nail-biting games 4-11, 11-4, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7.
The win for Seyfried puts him through to his first main draw action at a WTT Star Contender level, and he too will square off with a fellow Frenchman, Leo De Nodrest, in his next test.
World No.79 Kazuhiro Yoshimura displayed top-tier table tennis in his last qualifying challenge against Lev Katsman, winning in three straight games 11-5, 12-10, 11-5.
Meanwhile, Korean ace Kim Minhyeok bagged his main draw ticket, with a surprise win over fifth qualifying seed Snehit Suravajjula 11-4, 5-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8.
In the women’s singles, second qualifying seed Ser Lin Qian moved safely on to the main draw, the 19-year-old proving too strong for Karina Shiray winning 11-9, 11-4, 11-2.
Lin Qian will be hoping to keep-up the good work, as she gets ready for her main draw battle against Swedish competitor Filippa Bergand in the next stage.
A bye saw top qualifying seed Lee Zion through to the main draw while Tatiana Kukulkova survived a scare in her tussle with Mariia Tailakova winning 5-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9.
With nearly 150 spots separating the two in ranking, Tailakova threw the kitchen sink at match favourite Kukulkova, but it was the latter who would emerge victorious, escaping defeat by the narrowest of margins.
