by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Amalraj Anthony was the one player to upset the seeding; the no.19 seed, he accounted for Frenchman Romain Lorentz, the no.16 seed (11-5, 5-11, 9-11, 11-6, 7-11, 13-11, 12-10).
The win meant that for the first time in his career Amalraj Anthony had booked a place in the quarter-final stage of an ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles event.
Second time
Meanwhile, for Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, the no.18 seed, who recovered from a two games to nil deficit to overcome Russia’s Sadi Ismailov (8-11, 14-16, 11-5, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9), it is the second time that he has reached the round of the last eight. The one previous occasion was in Rabat in 2013.
Success as status predicted for Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, it was the same in the remaining second round Men’s Singles contests.
Same half
In the top half of the draw, the same half as Sathiyan Gnanasekaran; Adrien Mattenet, the top seed, beat Japan’s Misuki Oikawa, the no.9 seed (11-8, 13-15, 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7).
Meanwhile, in a rather more comfortable manner Russia’s Mikhail Paikov, the no.7 seed, damped Indian joy, by ending the progress of Harmeet Desai, the no.11 seed (11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 13-11).
France well represented
The end of the road for Harmeet Desai, it was also the end of adventures for qualifiers Romania’s Cristian Pletea and Frenchman Thomas Le Breton.
Both suffered at the hands of Thomas Le Breton’s colleagues; Cristian Pletea was beaten by Quentin Robinot, the no.8 seed (8-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7), Thomas Le Breton experienced defeat at the hands of Antoine Hachard, the no.6 seed (5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6, 11-13, 11-6).
Progress
Progress for Antoine Hachard, who is in the lower section of the draw; he is in the same half as Czech Republic’s Tomas Konecny, the no.4 seed and Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri the no.12 seed.
Both duly booked their places in the last eight by beating Swedish opposition. Tomas Konecny overcame Hampus Soderlund, the no.15 seed (11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 2-11, 9-11, 11-3), Yuto Kizukuri halted the aspirations of Anthony Tran, the no.31 seed (11-1, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8).
Last eight names
At the quarter-final stage Adrien Mattenet meets Mikhail Paikov, Quentin Robinot opposes Sathiyan Gnanasekaran; in the adjacent half it is Tomas Konecny versus Antoine Hachard, Yuto Kisukuri in opposition to Amalraj Anthony.
