by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
However, for the next in line, Qatar’s Mohammed Abdulwahhab, the no.3 seed and winner in 2015, there was a surprise defeat; he was beaten in his very first match of the day by Anukram Jain, like Jeet Chandra from India (8-11, 13-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8).
Anukram Jain duly remained unbeaten, for Mohammed Abdulwahhab, there were no further mishaps; thus second place in the group and progress to the main draw was secured.
Players finishing in first and second places, in each group in the Junior Boys’ Singles event, advance to the main draw.
Success for Jeet Chandra and Anukram Jain on what proved a very successful day for India. In addition, Manush Utpalbhai Shah, Parth Virmani, Payas Jain and Snehit Suravajjula all secured first places as their status predicted; they were the highest rated in their respective groups.
However, the pole position gained by colleague, Chinmaya Somaiya, was not necessarily to be anticipated. He remained unbeaten, causing an upset of note by overcoming Abdulla Albalooshi from the United Arab Emirates, the no.6 seed (11-5, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6). Alas for Abdulla Albalooshi, there was to be not passport to the main draw; third place was his lot. In the concluding match in the group he was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s Peng Chin (11-4, 11-7, 11-7); a win that secured the latter second place.
Unexpected first places, it was the same for Iran’s Hamid Shams and Navid Shams as it was for Chinese Taipei’s Li Hsun-Yi; all remained unbeaten.
Notably Hamid Shams overcame Jordan’s Khaled Khader, the no.10 seed (11-9, 3-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-2); Navid Shams accounted for Qatar’s Nawaf Al-Malki, the no.11 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-4), whilst Lin Yen-Chun beat Sweden’s Oskar Danielsson, the no.7 seed (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9).
Second place was the eventual outcome for Khaled Khader but for both Nawaf Al-Malki and Oskar Danielsson it was third position and thus no progress to the main draw. In addition, Oskar Danielsson was beaten by India’s Mudit Dani (11-8, 11-5, 11-9), Nawaf Al-Malki suffered at the hands of Oskar Danielsson’s colleague, Jens Holmqvist (11-8, 4-11, 3-11, 11-5, 11-6). Mudit Dani and Jens Holmqvist duly secured runners up spot in the respective groups.
Surprise first places and there was one more, an outcome that gave the host nation cause to smile. Hasan Alhourani beat Egypt’s Ahmed Meshref, the no.12 seed (11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 12-10) in the concluding match in the group. Ahmed Meshref finished in second place.
Top spot for the hosts; in the remaining two groups it was first place as expected for two players who had travelled from farther afield. Thailand’s Purit Verakultawan, the no.8 seed and Panama’s Jacobo Vahnish, the no.13 seed, ended the day unbeaten and thus reserved main draw places.
The Junior Boys’ Singles event will be played to a conclusion on Wednesday 26th July.
Photos: courtesy of Jordan Table Tennis Federation
