by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

It had been agonising defeat at the hands of the combination formed by Austria’s Maciej Kolodziejczyk and Germany’s Cédric Meissner (11-13, 13-11, 15-13, 6-11, 16-14); in the Boys’ Singles final it was hard earned success in a contest that likewise went the full distance.

He beat Japan’s Takeru Kashiwa, the no.5 seed (11-7, 7-11, 6-11, 12-10, 3-11, 11-9, 11-5) to bring an exhausting day, in which overall he played eight matches, to a conclusion.

A surprise win but arguably the biggest surprise was in his opening encounter of the day. He overcame Maciej Kolodziejczyk, the top seed, in four straight games (11-7, 11-8, 16-14, 13-11), before accounting for Slovakia’s Jakub Zelinka, the no.7 seed (6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7) and the Czech Republic’s Radim Bako, the no.15 seed (11-5, 11-6, 11-1, 11-4) to reserve his place in the final.

Impressive form from Samuel Kulczycki en route to the final; it was the same from Takeru Kashiwa.

In his initial contest of the day, he defeated Przemyslaw Walaszek, the no.11 seed, the winner the previous day in opposition to Argentina’s Martin Bentancor, the no.2 seed (11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10) in what was to prove a most exacting encounter. He needed the full seven games to secure victory (9-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8).

A difficult hurdle overcome, he accounted for Brazil’s Eduardo Tomoike, the no.4 seed (11-2, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4) and Chinese Taipei’s surprise semi-finalist, Chen Jun-Ting (11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8) to reserve his place in the final.

Notably at the quarter-final stage, Chen Jun-Ting had beaten Poland’s Jan Zandecki, the no.13 seed (11-3, 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4), the second round winner in opposition to Japan’s Aoto Asazu, the no.3 seed (7-11, 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6).

Play over in Senec; attention now turns to Wladyslawowo, the 2018 Polish Junior and Cadet Open commences on Wednesday 23rd May.