by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Likewise there was success for the second seeded Serbian team of Sabina Surjan, Izabela Lupulesku and Tijana Jokic; as there was for the third seeded outfit formed by Nadezhda Bogdanova and Marharyta Baltushite who joined forces with Ukraine’s Solomiya Brateyko.
Follow the live streaming on the Official ITTF Channel – Day Four at the 2017 Czech Junior and Cadet Open
Semi-final places for the third seeds, it was exactly the same for the fourth seeds; Russia’s Kristina Kazantseva, Ekaterina Zironova ans Elizabet Abraamian were not to be denied.
Day Four: team titles decided, follow the action
Impressively, following in the footsteps of Japan; Serbia ‘A’ beat the Slovak ‘A’ combination of Nikoleta, Puchovanova, Ema Labosova and Tatiana Kukulkova by three matches to nil. In a very similar fashion, Russia showed no mercy when confronting Slovenia’s Aleksandra Vovk, Ana Tofant and Katarina Strazar.
However, for Nadezhda Bogdanova, Marharyta Baltushite and Solomiya Brateyko when facing the Romanian sixth seeded outfit comprising Tania Plaian, Mihaela Plaesu and Andrea Hudusan, life was slightly more exacting. A three-one victory margin was the outcome with Nadezhda Bogdanova, the mainstay of victory.
She accounted for Mihaela Plaesu (4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9) and Andreea Hudusan (11-5, 11-6, 13-15, 11-6).
Matters as status suggested but in the Cadet Girls’ Team event, there were two quarter-final upsets at the quarter-final stage, both involving Hungary.
Hungary ‘B’, the no.13 seeds, with Viola Phan and Veronika Menko on duty, beat the Italian combination of Jamila Laurenti and Valentina Roncallo, the no.5 seeds, by three matches to one. Conversely, represented by Helga Dari and Anita Drabant, Hungary ‘A’, the no.3 seeds, experienced defeat by the same margin when confronting the France ‘B’ combination comprising Isa Cok and Lou Freile.
Defeats for two notable outfits but not for the most prominent; France ‘A’, the top seeds with Prithika Pavade and Camille Lutz in action overcame the eighth seeded German duo of Jana Kirner and Tu Wenna by three matches to two.
More comfortably, Korea ‘B’, the second seeds, recorded a three-nil win when facing the Bulgaria ‘A’ partnership of Kalina Hristova and Ivet Ilieva.
Photos: Czech Table Tennis Association / Jan Brychta
