by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Japan’s Aoto Asazu and Takeru Kashiwa, the top seeds, recovered from a two games to one deficit to beat Poland’s Kamil Dziadek and Przemyslaw, emerging successful by the minimal two point margin in the deciding game (5-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9).

Likewise, it was just as close for the combination of Norway’s Borgar Haug and Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece; they emerged successful, securing victory in a dramatic fifth game when facing the French combination of Jules Cavaille and Bilal Hamache (8-11, 11-2, 11-3, 7-11, 16-14).

Two matches in the balance until the very last point was concluded, it was not much different in the contest that featured Portugal’s Vitor Amorin and Samuel da Silva, the no.3 seeds, in opposition to the combination formed by Russia’s Maksim Kaburkin and Melker Nilsson. The seeded pair won but only just (11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 4-11, 11-8).

Victories by narrow margins; for Spain’s Francisco Miguel Ruiz and Javier Soria, it was defeat by a narrow margin. They suffered at the hands of the partnership formed by Russia’s Maksim Kaburkin and Melker Nilsson (11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 4-11, 11-8).

Meanwhile, for the top four seeded combinations in the Junior Girls’ Team event with quarter-final places at stake, there were no such problems.

Hong Kong’s Wong Chin Yau, the top seeds, beat Spain’s Nerea Garcia and Andrea Perez (11-9, 11-6, 11-1); Lucie Gauthier and Leili Mostafavi of France overcame Spain’s (Ane Ribera and Elene Sagardia (11-6, 11-6, 11-8). Likewise the partnership comprising Hong Kong’s Chau Wing Sze and Japan’s Hikari Okubo, the no.3 seeds, accounted for Belgium’s Lindsay de Vos and Natacha Kozulap (11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-5); Poland’s Anna Wegrzyn and Katarzyna Wegrzyn, the no.4 seeds, defeated Norway’s Sunniva Sjoeholt and Rikka Skallet (8-11, 11-4, 11-2, 11-8).

Play in both the Junior Boys’ Team and Junior Girls’ Team events concludes on Thursday 19th April.