by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Enthralling contests and no doubt there will be more upsets.
Follow the live streaming on the Official ITTF Channel – Day Three at the 2017 Czech Junior and Cadet Open
Norway set the tone for the morning of the third day of action. The no.23 seeds, with Sondre Berner, Adrian Wetzel and Henrik Nilsen on duty, they recorded a three-one win against their Northern European colleagues Finland, the no.19 seeds, who fielded the trio of Veikka Flemming, Alex Naumi and Veeti Valasti.
Also, in the Junior Boys’ Team event Poland ‘B’, the no.21 seeds, represented by Mihai Zamfir, Teodor Lipan and Marius Radoi emerged victorious by the same margin against the Poland ‘B’ trio comprising Jan Zandecki, Kamil Dziadek and Jakub Witkowski, the no.19 seeds.
Live streaming – Day Three at the 2017 Czech Junior and Cadet Open
A three-one score-line against expectations; it was the same for the combination formed by Montenegro’s Filip Radovic, who joined forces with Japan’s Haruki Miyamoto and Hiroto Shinozuka. The no.22 seeds, they beat the no.20 seeds; the Irish outfit comprising Owen Cathcart, Alexander Gillen and Conor Gallagher.
Surprises but nothing matched the upset caused by the no.25 seeds, the team formed by Lithuania’s Klaidas Cepaitis, who allied with Bulgaria’s Stefan Todorov and Iliyan Doychev. They defeated the Romania ‘C’ trio of Mihai Pop, George Vrabie and Mihai Nemaciuc, the no.17 seeds, by the very narrowest of five match margins.
Hero of the hour was Iliyan Doychev; in the vital fifth and concluding contest of the fixture, he overcame Mihai Pop in an absolute thriller (11-9, 1-11, 15-13, 2-11, 12-10).
Upsets of note and there was one in the Junior Girls’ Team event; the Slovak Republic ‘B’ Team trio comprising Agata Klucarova, Monika Urikova and Paula Cermakova overcame the Hungary ‘B’ formation of Kata Fule, Fanni Gondor and Luiza Popescu by three matches to nil.
The Slovak Republic outfit commenced play as the no.20 seeds; the Hungarians as the no.14 seeds.
