Saki Shibata 3 - 1 Kotomi Omoda. The match was much closer than the final score suggests. Kotomi Omoda gave Saki Shibata all she could handle and then some, but nerves got her in the end.
Recall this pair defeated the CNT MD pair of LSD / LGY in the MD QF of the 2024 Asia Championship. Also, en route to QF, this pair defeated the Korean pair of JWJ / Cho Daesong.
Congratulations to Hitomi Sato. But I feel bad for Saki as Sato's ball is literally going long while the umpire calls for time (for expedite to take effect) which would have tied it 9-9. So Sato heads into expedite up 9-8.