by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Occupying the no.3 seeded position, at the final hurdle he overcame India’s Manush Utpalbhai Shah, the no.4 seed, to arrest the title (11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8), having at the quarter-final stage beaten Slovakia’s Jakub Zelinka (11-8, 9-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-4) and one round later Hungary’s Csaba Andras, the no.10 seed (7-11, 11-4, 4-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8).
“I am surprised that I won this title, being my first ITTF title, particularly amidst the array of top stars from India,ond and third in my previous appearances in the competition. I am indeed looking forward to the Youth Olympic Games qualifiers which start tomorrow.” Amin Ahmadian
In the opposite half of the draw, in the round of the last eight, Manush Utpalbhai Shah accounted for Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen, the no.11 seed (11-5, 11-7, 16-14, 3-11, 10-12, 13-11), prior to recording a semi-final round success in opposition to Amirrez Abbasi, the no.12 seed and like Amin Ahmadian from Iran. Manush Utpalbhai Shah emerged successful by the very narrowest of margins in a seven games contest (15-17, 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 11-13, 11-9).
The wins of Ahmed Ahmadian over Csaba Andras and Manush Utpalbhai Shah in opposition to Amirreza Abbasi were successes of note. At the quarter-final stage Csaba Andras had beaten Serbia’s Dimitrije Levajac (11-3, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8), the winner the previous day in opposition to India’s Manav Vikash Thakkar, the top seed (13-11, 11-9, 6-11, 14-16, 10-12, 11-8, 14-12). Likewise, Amirreza Abbasi had accounted for India Pyas Jain in the of the last eight (15-17, 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 11-13, 11-9); the player who the previous day had accounted for Austria’s Maciej Kolodziejczyk, the no.2 seed (7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5).
A bronze medal for Csaba Andras in the Junior Boys’ Doubles event it was gold; he partnered Canada’s Jeremy Hazin to success.
At the final hurdle the pair accounted for China’s Wang Yihao and Zang Shangheng (11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8), having at the semi-final stage overcome the combination of Maciej Kolodziejczyk and Jakub Zelinka (11-6, 11-4, 14-12); at the same stage in the opposite half of the draw Wang Yihao and Zang Shangheng had beaten Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manush Utpalbhai Shah (14-16, 11-1, 12-10, 11-7).
Play in the 2018 Tunisia Junior and Cadet Open completed, attention now turns to the two day Road to Buenos Aires – Africa Youth Olympic Games Qualification Tournament.
