Progress in the balance
Women’s Singles
Success for the host nation’s Sabina Surjan in her opening contest against Spain’s Marina Niguez (9-11,8-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-3) followed by defeat at the hands of Hong Kong’s Zhang Wenling puts her future very much on the line. First and second in each group advance to the main draw; her fate lies in the ensuing contest between Marina Niguez and Zhang Wenling.
Rather differently Italy’s Jamila Laurenti, Hungary’s Orsolya Feher and Hong Kong’s Lam Yee Lok all remained unbeaten to reserve first places in their respective groups as did Brazil’s Caroline Kumahara and Russia’s Maria Malanina.
First place assured for Jamila Laurenti (Photo: Vidoje Manojlovic)
Top two book main draw places
Women’s Singles
Places in the main draw assured, Croatia’s Ivana Malobabic and Oceane Guisnel of France, the top two names on qualification duty concluded the day unbeaten and thus in first place in their respective groups; main draw places assured.
However, for the next in line, Hungary’s Leonie Hartbricht there was a second defeat of the day; she was beaten by India’s Krittwika Roy (11-8, 11-7, 11-6)
Host nation duo in form
Men’s Singles
Dimitrije Levajac and Lorencio Lupulesku very much shone the flag for Serbia as the day approached conclusion; both beat the highest rated player in their respective groups.
Dimitrije Levajac accounted for England’s Tom Jarvis (15-13, 14-12, 11-8); Lorencio Lupulesku overcame Canada’s Marko Medjugorac (11-7, 11-3, 11-9).
Disappointments
Men’s Singles
Russia’s Vildan Gadiev and Aleksandr Tiutrumov alongside Saudia Arabia’s Ali Alkhadrawi and Italy’s Chen Shuainan, all the highest ranked players in their respective groups, experienced defeats in their opening matches.
Vildan Gadiev lost to Zhang Kai of the United States (11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9), Aleksandr Tiutrumov suffered at the hands of India’s Snehit Suravajjula (11-6, 8-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8); Chen Shuainan was beaten by Sweden’s Wilhelm Perlan Kindblad (10-12, 11-5, 14-12, 11-9).
Opening defeats
Under 21 Women’s Singles
Principal names in the initial stage groups, in their opening matches, their one and only call to duty on the opening day, there were defeats for Italy’s Jamila Laurenti, Algeria’s Hiba Feredj and Russia’s Daria Shadrina, as well as for Serbia’s Dragana Vignjevic.
Jamila Laurenti lost to Serbia’s Tijana Jokic (4-11, 11-7, 5-11, 12-10, 11-6); Hiba Feredj was beaten by Slovakia’s Natalia Grigelova (11-1, 11-2, 10-12, 11-5). Similarly, Daria Shadrina experienced defeat at the hands of Croatia’s Hana Arapovic (11-8, 11-6, 11-6); Dragana Vignjevic suffered against Japan’s Moe Numura (11-3, 11-9, 17-15).
Main draw places booked
Under 21 Men’s Singles
Russia’s Lev Katsman, Iran’s Amir Hossein Hodaei and Germany’s Cedric Meissner emerged the three players at the end of the day to reserve main draw places.
Lev Katsman secured his place by beating India’s Snehit Suravajjula (11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 11-9), Amir Hossein Hodaei accounted for Slovenia’s Tilen Cvetko (10-12, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6); Cedric Meissner overcame Aleksandt Tiutnumov of Russia (11-7, 5-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-6).
Problems for Kazakhstan
Women’s Singles
The highest ranked players in their respective groups, Zauresh Akasheva and Anastassiya Lavrova experienced opening defeats. Zauresh Akasheva lost to the host nation’s Monika Knezevic (9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8), Anastassiya Lavrova was beaten by Japan’s Moe Numura (9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4).
Also, the highest rated in her group, Romania’s Arina Singeorzan was beaten by Germany’s Andjela Menger (11-2, 11-7, 11-7) in her opening contest.
Prominent names fall
Women’s Singles
Leading names in their respective groups Hungary’s Leonie Hartbrich and Hong Kong’s Liu Qi alongside Romania’s Arina Singeorzan all suffered defeats in their open matches.
Leonie Harbricht was beaten by Croatia’s Andrea Pavlovich (11-6, 11-3, 4-11, 11-5), Liu Qi lost to Leili Mostafavi of France (11-8, 11-9, 11-3).
Serbian quartet upsets the odds
Men’s Singles
The lowest rated players in their respective opening phase groups, the host nation’s Dimitrije Levajac, Stefan Kostadinovic and Marko Popovic alongside Nikola Strugarevic all caused upsets in their opening matches.
Dimitrije Levajac beat Slovenia’s Tilen Cvetko (13-11, 13-111, 12-10), Stefan Kostadinovic overcame Croatia’s Tomislav Kolarek (12-10, 7-11, 13-11, 11-9). Likewise Marko Popovic accounted for India’s Mudit Dani (11-2, 11-8, 11-5); Nikola Strugarevic eventually proved too strong for Kazakhstan’s Timur Kelbuganov (11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8).
Fine start for host nation
Under 21 Women’s Singles
The host nation’s Sabina Surjan and Tijana Jokic both made successful starts to their campaigns.
Sabina Surjan beat Slovakia’s Ema Labosova (11-4, 11-3, 11-6), Tijana Jokic accounted for Kazakhstan’s Zauresh Akasheva (5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7).
Lev Katsman maintains form
Under 21 Men’s Singles
Elevated to second spot on the under 18 boys’ world rankings, the winner earlier this year on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in Bahrain and France, Russia’s Lev Katsman opened his account by beating Norway’s Adrian Wetzel (11-7, 11-7, 11-7).
Likewise, there was success for Nicolas Burgos, the runner up on home soil earlier this year at the 2019 Chile Junior and Cadet Open, he beat Nikita Artemenko (11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 13-11). Additionally, there was a good start for the host nation, Dimitrije Levajac accounted for Slovakia’s Daniel Orac (11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-8).
