by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
An emphatic victory but it was at the semi-final stage where Elizabet Abraamian shone. She remained unbeaten in a three-one success against the Chinese trio comprising Hu Shiyao, Jin Memgyuan and Yang Yiyun.
Impressively, she accounted for Jin Mengyuan (11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6), before recovering from a two games to nil deficit against Yang Yiyun (5-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-9, 13-11) to seal the victory. In addition, sandwiched in between she had partnered Arina Slautina to doubles success against Hu Shiyao and Yang Yiyun (11-5, 11-7, 6-11, 13-11).
A performance to note; it was the same in the penultimate round in the opposite half of the draw; Alina Zavarykina and Liubor Tentser had recorded a three-nil win against the France ‘C’ combination of Lucy Farcy and Charlotte Lutz, the no.5 seeds.
Defeat for China in the Cadet Girls’ Team event, not in the Cadet Boys’ Team competition where Kuang Li and Xiang Peng ruled supreme.
The top seeds, after having recorded a three-nil win against the French partnership of Myshaal Sabhi and Fabio Rakotoarimanana, the no.3 seeds, in the penultimate round; they overcame the Belgium combination of Nicolas Degros and Adrien Rassenfosse, the no.2 seeds, by the same margin in the title deciding contest.
In the adjacent half of the draw, Nicolas Degros and Adrien Rassenfosse had beaten the Romania ‘A’ pairing of Andrei Tomica and Darius Movileanu by three matches to nil.
Play concludes on Sunday 29th April with the individual events in the cadet age group category.