by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Alexander Gerhold, who the previous day had upset the order of merit by beating Sharon Alguetti of the United States, the no.9 seed (5-11, 13-11, 11-3, 11-8), accounted for Bulgaria’s Hristo Hristov (11-4, 12-10, 11-8) to secure top spot in the group.
Good form early in the day, it was the same later; in the opening round he overcame Mexico’s Mauricio Cayetano (9-11, 11-4, 11-2, 11-7, 11-4) to book his place in round two.
Progress for Alexander Gerhold, it was the same for Sharon Alguetti; he beat the host nation’s David Filipovic (11-5, 11-4, 11-7) to secure second position in the group and a main draw place, before causing an upset of note. In the opening round, he recovered from a three games to nil deficit to beat Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin, the no.7 seed (5-11, 7-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8).
Similar situation
Likewise Kay Stumper, the surprise winner one day earlier over Slovenia’s Peter Hribar, the no.15 seed (11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 11-8), concluded his first stage matches in style. He beat San Marino’s Mattias Mongiusti (11-8, 11-4, 11-1), before maintaining his form to record a first round win against Romania’s Mihai Zamfir (11-8, 11-5, 3-11, 11-9, 11-6).
A second round place for Kay Stumper, it was the same for Peter Hribar; he defeated Romania’s Bogdan Jacob in his final group stage contest (11-5, 11-8, 11-3), before causing a minor first round upset by overcoming Germany’s Cedric Meissner, the no.14 seed (11-7, 11-3, 13-11, 9-11, 11-3).
Reversal of fortunes
Success, alas for Dimitrije Levajac, it was to be a reversal of fortunes.
The cause of the biggest upset one day earlier when beating Hungary’s Istvan Molnar (13-11, 6-11, 11-6, 12-10); one day later, after overcoming Bulgaria’s Nikola Doychev in his concluding group stage contest (11-8, 12-10, 11-7), he was beaten by Adar Alguetti of the United States (8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8).
Conversely for Istvan Molnar, following success against Slovenia’s Jaka Strohsack (11-3, 13-11, 11-1), he beat Austria’s Maciej Kolodziejczyk, the no.11seed (8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 13-11) to reserve his place in round two.
Leading names
A second round place for the eighth seed, it was the same for the leading names.
Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic and Japan’s Yu Kayama, the respective top seeds, were not required to wield their rackets in anger in the opening round; however, the next names in the order of merit were all in action.
Japan’s Aoto Asazu, the no.3 seed and colleague, Takeru Kashiwa, the no.5 seed, both ended Slovenian aspirations. Aoto Asazu overcame Erik Paulin (11-5, 11-6, 4-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5); Takeru Kashiwa ended the hopes of Tilen Cvetko (15-13, 13-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-2).
Hard fought wins
Hard fought wins, it was the same for Germany’s Jannik Xu, the no.4 seed; whilst for Chinese Taipei’s Li Hsing-Yang, the no.6 seed, it was only marginally less stressful.
Jannik Xu needed the full seven games to beat Montenegro’s Filip Radovic (7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4); for Li Hsing-Yang it was a straight games win over the host country’s Luka Norcic but arguably closer than the eventual score-line may suggest, three of the four games were settled by the minimal two point difference (11-9, 11-9, 11-4, 12-10).
Shock exit
Headway for Aoto Asazu and Takeru Kashiwa as their status suggested but that was not the scenario in the Junior Boys’ Doubles event.
The top seeds, they suffered a surprise second round defeat at the hands of Croatia’s Ivor Ban and Jakov Jakelic (11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 14-12); the in-form pair continued their winning ways to book their place in the semi-finals courtesy of success in opposition to Slovenia’s Luka Norci and Damjan Zelko (11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10).
Narrow margin
Defeat for the top seeds; there were testing times for the no.2 seeds; at the quarter-final stage Yu Kayama and Maciej Kolodziejczyk needed the full seven games to beat Alexander Gerhold and Cedric Meissner, only emerging successful by the narrowest of margins in the deciding game (5-11, 12-10, 11-9, 5-11, 13-11).
At the semi-final stage Ivor Ban and Jakov Jakelic meet Germany’s Meng Fanbo and Jannik Xu; Yu Kayama and Maciej Kolodziejczyk oppose Feng Yi-Hsin and and Li Hsin-Yang.
In the round of the last eight pairs, Feng Yi-Hsin and Li Hsin-Yang, the no.3 seeds, beat Tilen Cvetko and Peter Hribar (9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 15-13); Meng Fanbo and Jannik Xu likewise overcame a Slovenia pairing, they beat Miha kamsek and Erik Paulin (11-6, 11-9, 11-6).
Conclusion
Play in the main draw of the Cadet Boys’ Singles event, for the leading players, has yet to start; proceedings conclude in Otocec on Sunday 25th September.
