by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Defeat against expectations for Japan; there was also the reverse scenario. Hungary suffered once again whilst in addition Romania experienced anguish.
Shunsuke Togami accounted for Adam Szudi’s colleague, Nandor Ecseki, the no.22 seed, in the opening round (12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4), before causing an even bigger upset by beating Romania’s Cristian Pletea, the no.4 seed (13-11, 11-4, 11-6). Similarly in in round two, Koyo Kanamitsu stifled Romanian hopes; the no.24 seed, he overcame Rares Sipos, the no.16 seed (11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 5-11, 14-12).
Defeat for the no.4 seed, there was also defeat for the no.6 seed; Sweden’s Elias Ranefur departed proceedings in round two, he was beaten by Russia’s Konstantin Chernov.
Likewise, there was no place in round three for Germany’s Kilian Ort, the no.11 seed or his colleague Qiu Dang, the no. 15 seed. Both departed proceedings in round one. Kilian Ort experienced an opening round defeat at the hands of Gleb Shamruk of Belarus (11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9), Qiu Dang was beaten by Italy’s Matteo Mutti (11-9, 14-12, 11-7)
However, for Gleb Shamruk the progress was short-lived; in the very next round was beaten by Denmark’s Anders Lind (11-8, 11-7, 11-6). Conversely for Matteo Mutti there was progress; in round two he ended the hopes of Belgium’s Arthur Bilas (11-8, 11-9, 4-11, 13-11.
Surprise names to gain round three places and there was one more; in the second round Chinese Taipei’s Chou Te-Hao, a qualifier, accounted for Sweden’s Simon Berglund, the no.26 seed (6-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-5).
Meanwhile, other than for Cristian Pletea, amongst the top names it was progress to round three.
Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko, the top seed, beat Iran’s Matin Lotfollah Nasabi (11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7) before overcoming Japan’s Masaki Takami (11-8, 13-11, 11-9).
Likewise, Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri, the no.2 seed, accounted for Russia’s Andrey Semenov (11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10) and Korea’s Han Yubeen (11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 12-10); whilst Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic, the no.3 seed, beat Poland’s Samuel Kulczycki (8-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-6) prior to overcoming Poland’s Patryk Zatowka (11-6, 11-8, 11-3).
The third round matches in the Under 21 Men’s Singles event will be played later in the day.
