by Ian Marshall, Editor
Success for Lin Yun-Ju, a win that very much summed up proceedings as the initial phase of the Men’s Singles event concluded. The favourites, the principal names asserted authority.
Sweden’s Truls Moregard, the no.3 seed, beat DPR Korea’s Kim Song Gun, the no.32 seed (11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9) to secure top spot in the group, finishing ahead of Italy’s Matteo Mutti, the no.15 seed. He ended the hopes of the host nation by overcoming Martin Bentancor, the no.20 seed (11-9, 4-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9), a young man who despite defeat had thrived on the occasion.
“I had a very tough draw but it feels really good playing at home, the home crowd was incredible, family, friend and table tennis people. So I’m very happy to be play here.” Martin Bentancor
Similarly, Iran’s Amin Ahmadian, the no.12 seed, secured first place by beating Lithuania’s Medardas Stankevicius, the no.22 seed (4-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-5, 11-7); second position finished in the hands of India’s Manav Vikash Thakkar, the no.5 seed. He ended his first phase contests by overcoming Malaysia’s Javen Choong, the no.27 seed (11-4, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5).
Impressive performances to conclude matters, it was the same from China’s Wang Chuqin, the no.6 seed and Frenchman Bastien Rembert, the no.11 seed. Wang Chuqin beat Tunisia’s Nathael Hamdoun, the no.25 seed (11-4, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5) to reserve first place; Bastien Rembert accounted for Moldova’s Vladislav Ursu to secure second position (11-8, 6-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-6).
Success as expected, it was the same from Romania’s Cristian Pletea and Egypt’s Youssef Abdel-Aziz. They finished in first and second places respectively in their initial stage group; a situation that applied also to Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece and Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen.
In their concluding group stage contests, Cristian Pletea, the no.9 seed, beat Azerbaijan’s Yu Khinhang, the no.24 seed (11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 12-10), Youssef Abdel-Aziz, the no.7 seed, overcame New Zealand’s Nathan Xu, the no.26 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-3, 4-11, 11-7).
Similarly, Ioannis Sgouropoulos, the no.8 seed, prevailed against Nigeria’s Azeez Solanke, the no.28 seed (11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10), Pang Yew En Koen, the no.10 seed, ended the hopes of Germany’s Cedric Meissner, the no.23 seed (11-5, 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9).
Both the first round and the quarter-final matches in the Men’s Singles event will be played on Tuesday 9th October.
Round One:
Tomokazu Harimoto (Japan) v Manav Vikash Thakkar (India)
Leonardo Mutti (Italy) v Cristian Pletea (Romania)
Ioannis Sgouropoulos (Greece) v Bastien Rembert (France)
Nicolas Burgos (Chile) v Lin Yun-Ju (Chinese Taipei)
Truls Moregard (Sweden) v Youssef Abdel-Aziz (Egypt)
Vladimir Sidorenko (Russia) v Wang Chuqin (China)
Amin Ahmadian (Iran) v Pang Yew En Koen (Singapore)
Guilherme Teodoro (Brazil) v Kanak Jha (USA)
