by Ian Marshall, Editor

Likewise in the cadet boys’ team competition, the Czech Republic duo comprising Simon Belik and Borek Otahal, the no.2 seeds, secured top place in their group and thus a direct entry to the quarter-finals; a situation that was also the outcome for the combination of Slovakia’s Jajub Goldir and Sweden’s Alve Sjoevold, the no.3 seeds.

However, for the remaining outfits who started the day as the highest rated in their respective groups, it was farewell. Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Abuhamda Salman and Ali Abbas Saleh, the no.4 seeds, finished in second place in their group behind Bahrain’s Salman Mohamed Uhamda and Ali Abbas Saleh, before in the opening round experiencing a three-nil defeat at the hands of Egypt’s Marwan Gamal and Mohamed Sameh, the no.8 seeds.

Likewise, there was disappointment for Sweden. Isak Edwardsson and Elias Sjögren, the no.5 seeds, concluded the initial phase in fourth place, a group won by Marwan Gamal and Mohamed Sameh. Meanwhile, Tom Holmqvist and Love Iwarsson, the no.6 seeds, secured first place in their group but in the opening round experienced a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Egypt’s Badr Mostafa and Yassin Wael.

Surprise outcomes in the opening stage of the cadet boys’ team competition; not in the counterpart cadet girls’ team event. Three groups in the initial phase of proceedings, in each instance the leading outfits ended the day unbeaten and thus safely through to the main draw.

Egypt’s Farida Badawy and Hana Goda, the top seeds, duly finished in first position in their group, as did the next two pairs both from India. It was a successful opening day for Anargya Manjunath and Suhana Saini, the no.2 seeds, as it was for colleagues, Yashwini Deepak, Ghorpade and Kavy Sree Baskar, the no.3 seeds.

Play in both the cadet boys’ team and cadet girls’ team events concludes on Friday 8th February.