by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Marek Badowski overcame the host nation hero of one year earlier, whilst Samuel Novota and David McBeath both beat players who have won ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles titles.
Listed at no.312 on the current Men’s World Rankings, Marek Badowski accounted for the host nation’s Anton Källberg, named at no.63 and the player who at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open had reached the quarter-final stage of the Men’s Singles event. Eventually, he lost to the champion elect, China’s Fan Zhendong, having earlier in the proceedings beaten Fan Zhendong’s colleague, Yan An, the winner in 2013, in the second round.
Success for Marek Badowski over a notable name, it was the same for both Samuel Novota, named at no.269 on the current Men’s World Rankings and David McBeath who presently has no global status.
Impressively, Samuel Novota accounted for Russia’s Vasily Lakeev, ranked no.105 and the winner on the GAC Group 2012 ITTF World Tour in both Belarus and Cairo.
Similarly, the pedigree of Korea’s Cho Eonrae held no fears for David McBeath. The 24 year old Englishman emerged successful in seven games (12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 7-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5) against his more experienced 30 years of age adversary. Named at no.107 in the Men’s World Rankings; Cho Eonrae won in Brazil in 2006, as well as being the runner up in the Boys’ Singles event at the first two editions of the World Championships, in Santiago in 2003 and one year later in Kobe.
Defeats for Cho Eonrae, Anton Källberg, Vasily Lakeev meant the end of the road; for Marek Badowski, David McBeath and Samuel Novota, the effect was a place in the main draw.
However, for the remaining names who gained top spots against expectations, there is still more work to be completed to secure a place in the second stage. Players finishing in first places in groups no.1 to no.23 progress directly to join the 32 seeds in the first round; players concluding matters in groups no.24 to no.41 must compete in a preliminary round.
The winners of the preliminary round matches secure main draw places.
Chinese Taipei’s Yeh Chih-Wei, Paraguay’s Marcelo Aguirre and Belgium’s Martin Allegro, in addition to China’s Song Xu, Li Yijie and Wang Chuqin, all belied their present status to secure top spots in their respective group.
First place for nine visitors against the odds; there were first places for two Swedes contrary to expectations. Elias Ranefur and Victor Brodd duly remained unbeaten to secure first places.
Top spot contrary to predictions for Elias Ranefur and Victor Brodd; for five more Swedes it was first place as expected. Jens Lundqvist, Jon Persson, Harald Andersson, Hampus Nordberg and Simon Ardvisson all maintained unblemished records to secure pole positions. Jens Lundqvist and Jon Persson progress directly to the main draw, for their successful colleagues the preliminary round awaits.
Meanwhile, amongst the very top names; it was success. First places were secured by Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi, Japan’s Masaki Yoshida, Chinese Taipei’s Chiang Hung-Chieh and Germany’s Benedikt Duda.
The preliminary round matches will be played on Thursday 17th November, the day the qualification phase concludes.
