by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Safely through to the quarter-finals the previous day; Cristian Pletea and Rares Sipos accounted for Japan’s Aoto Asazu and Takeru Kashiwa, the no.7 seeds (11-9, 11-8, 11-5), prior to overcoming the combination of Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece and Lithuania’s Medardas Stankievicius (7-11, 11-5, 15-13, 4-11, 11-3), a pair in good form, to reserve their place in the final.
Notably, one round earlier Ioannis Sgouropoulos and Medardas Stankievicius had beaten China’s Cao Yantao and Zeng Beixun (11-7, 12-14, 11-7, 11-9), the third round winners when facing Egypt’s Youssef Abdel-Aziz and Nicolas Burgos, the no.3 seeds (9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7).
A place in the final booked, the good form was maintained. Cristian Pletea and Rares Sipos accounted for the Chinese combination of Xu Yingbin and Yuan Licen, the no.4 seeds (9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 12-10) to arrest the title.
“It is a great pleasure for us to play in Poland. We have started playing together again. Victory against Chinese is exceptional for us. It’s a great experience for us.” Cristian Pletea
“Defeating the Chinese is a huge for us. It gives us motivation. We are very happy. It is a happy day for us.” Rares Sipos
In the opposite half of the draw; in the later stages Xu Yingbin and Yuan Licen overcame Sweden’s Martin Friis and Truls Moregard, the no.6 seeds (8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9), prior to booking their place in the title decider courtesy of success against the partnership formed by Austria’s Maciek Kolodzieczyck and Moldova’s Vladimir Ursu, the no.9 seeds (11-5, 12-10, 11-5).
Impressive from Cristian Pletea and Rares Sipos; it was the same from Qian Tianyi and Shi Xunyao.
After accounting for surprise quarter-finalists, Japan’s Reina Aso and Russia’s Olga Vishniakova (11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 11-7), the winners the previous day in opposition to Germany’s Franziska Schreiner and Laura Tiefenbrunner, the no.7 seeds (13-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-6); Qian Tianyi and Shi Xunyao advanced in style. They overcame Japan’s Kaho Akae and Yukari Sugasawa, the no.13 seeds (7-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-9) before securing the title at the expense of Poland’s Anna Wegrzyn and Katarzyna Wegrzyn, the no.10 seeds (11-6, 11-1, 11-6).
“This is a very successful tournament for us, we are pleased with our performance. We are very happy with the gold medals.” Qian Tianyi
Notably, in the round of the last eight pairs, Kaho Akae and Yukari Sugasawa had beaten the combination of Lucie Gauthier of France and Russia’s Anastasia Kolish, the no.3 seeds (11-9, 12-10, 12-10)
Meanwhile, in the latter stages Anna Wegrzyn and Katarzyna Wegrzyn had accounted for Japan’s Honami Nakamori and Sakura Yokoi (11-7, 9-11, 7-11, 11-3, 12-10), the winners the previous day in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Chen Ting-Ting and Wen Rue-Ling, the no.2 seeds (2-11, 11-7, 8-11, 15-13, 14-12).
Successfully through to the penultimate round, the Polish sisters accounted for Marharyta Baltushite and Nadezhda Bogdanova, the no.4 seeds (11-5, 12-10, 11-5) to reach the final.
