by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Selecting Yuko Kato, Miyu Nagasaki and Maki Shiomi, a three-nil win was recorded in the Junior Girls’ Team final in opposition to the fourth seeded Russian outfit comprising Elizabet Abraamian, Kristina Kazantseva and Ekaterina Zironova; the contest somewhat anti-climactic with Kristina Kazantseva forced to withdraw through injury.
In the opening contest Maki Shiomi had beaten Ekaterina Zironova (11-6, 11-8, 11-7); Miyu Nagasaki had defeated Elizabet Abraamian (11-7, 13-11, 11-3).
One round earlier, at the semi-final stage with Kana Takeuchi selected in favour of Maki Shiomi; a three-nil win had been posted in opposition to the third seeded outfit formed by Nadezhda Bogdanova and Marharyta Baltushite of Belarus who joined forces with Ukraine’s Solomiya Brateyko.
Day Four at the Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin
A result as expected, in the adjacent half of the draw, the outcome was somewhat of a surprise; Elizabet Abraamian, Kristina Kazantseva and Ekaterina Zironova beat the Serbia ‘A’ trio of Tijana Jokic, Izabela Lupulesku and Sabina Surjan, the second seeds, in a full distance five match duel.
Thorn in the side of Russia was Izabela Lupulesku; she beat both Ekaterina Zironova (11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 11-5, 13-11) and Kristina Kazantseva (10-12, 11-4, 11-8, 12-10).
Top spot for the top seeds; in the Junior Boys’ Team event, the no.22 seeds, the combination formed by Japan’s Haruki Miyamoto and Hiroto Shinozuka who joined forces with Montenegro’s Filip Radovic, emerged as the shock winners.
At the final hurdle they beat the second seeded outfit comprising Denmark’s Andreas Dilling, England’s Luke Savill and Scotland’s Christopher Wheeler by three matches to one, in a contest where all three wins were secured in full distance five games contests.
Backbone of the victory was Haruki Miyamoto; he beat both Christopher Wheeler (11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7) and Andreas Dilling (8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9). The one further win for the victors was recorded by Filip Radovic; in the third match of the engagement, he defeated Luke Savill (11-9, 7-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-8).
Meanwhile, the one success for the vanquished was secured by Andreas Dilling; in the opening match of the fixture, he overcame Hiroto Shinozuka (11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8).
Earlier at the semi-final stage Haruki Miyamoto, Hiroto Shinozuka and Filip Radovic had beaten the 13th seeded Polish outfit of Artur Grela, Kamil Nalepa and Przemyslaw Walaszek by three matches to one, a team very much in form. At the quarter-final stage the Poles had caused a major upset. They had beaten the top seeded German trio of Gerritt Engemann, Meng Fanbo and Kay Stumper by three matches to two; a contest in which Gerritt Engemann was unable to conclude his full itinerary of matches. He was forced to concede against Kamil Nalepa.
Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw; Andrea Dilling, Luke Savill and Christopher Wheeler had recorded a full distance win against the third seeded host nation trio of Vlastimil Buben, Jiri Martinko and Jan Valenta.
Junior events over, play concludes on Sunday 12th February with the individual events in the Cadet age group.
Photos: Czech Table Tennis Association / Jan Brychta
