by Ian Marshall, Editor
However, for Poland, the win was most hard earned; the no.12 seeds, the trio comprising Jan Zandecki, Samuel Kulczycki and Artur Grela needed the full five matches to overcame the no.14 seeds, the Brazilian trio comprising Rafael Torino, Guilherme Teodoro and Eduardo Tomoike.
Backbone of the victory was Samuel Kulczycki, winner earlier in the year in May on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in Slovakia; in the second match of the encounter he beat Guilherme Teodoro (11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7), before in the fifth and deciding contest, accounting for Rafael Torino (11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-7). The one further win for Poland was secured by Artur Grela, in the third match of the engagement, he prevailed against Eduardo Tomoike (11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-7).
Defeat for Brazil and there was also disappointment for their South American neighbours and traditional arch rivals. Argentina, the no.13 seeds, represented by Martin Bentancor, Santiago Lorenzo and Leandro Fuentes experienced a three-nil defeat when facing the no.11 seeds, Germany’s Cédric Meissner, Kay Stumper and Daniel Rinderer.
Argentina and Brazil having now concluded their group phase fixtures without a win to their names, now play for positions no.9 to no.16; meanwhile to determine who advances to the quarter-final round, Poland faces Romania, the no.6 seeds, Germany confronts India, the no.5 seeds. Earlier in the day India had been extended the full five match distance by Argentina, the contest against Germany is the most enthralling of all the engagements the brings the group phase to a conclusion.
Disappointment for Latin America in the second series of Junior Boys’ Team first phase contests, it was the same for Oceania, both Australia and New Zealand witnessed three-nil defeats.
Selecting Nathan Xu, Zhao Yanglun and Alexander Zhou, New Zealand, the no.16 seeds, suffered when facing the no.10 seeds, Iran’s Amirreza Abbasi, Amin Ahmadian and Arya Amiri; likewise, the no.15 seeds, Australia’s Finn Luu, Mateo Dvorani and Nicholas Lum lost to the no.9 seeds, Singapore’s Josh Chua Shao Han, Pang Yew En Koen and Gerald Yu Zong Jun.
Similar to Brazil and Argentina, Australia and New Zealand now contest positions no.9 to no.16; to determine quarter-final places Iran faces Russia, Singapore confronts the United States.
The initial group phase concludes on Monday 3rd December.
