by Ian Marshall, Editor
The no.3 seed and having competed in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, Vladislav Ursu is now a comparatively seasoned international; in Platja d’Aro that fact was evident.
In the later stages, after withstanding a spirited recovery by Russia’s Nikita Moshkov (11-7, 11-4, 11-9, 11-13, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8), he recorded straight games wins in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yan-Cheng (11-7, 11-6, 11-2, 17-15) and Italy’s Carlo Rossi, the no.8 seed (11-7, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6) to secure the title.
The success against Huang Yan-Cheng, like Nikita Moshkov required to qualify, was a result of note; at the quarter-final stage, Huang Yan-Cheng had ousted Kay Stumper, the top seed in a hard fought seven games duel (11-13, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5).
A player in form, likewise in the penultimate round, Carlo Rossi had been required to overcome an adversary who had raised the eyebrows. After ousting Hungary’s Csaba Andras, the no.4 seed (5-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-9, 13-11, 11-3), he ended the progress of Russian qualifier Damir Alhmetsafin (12-10, 11-4, 14-12, 4-11, 8-11, 11-7).
Earlier in the day, Damir Alhmetsafin had recorded a second round win against Brazil’s Guilherme Teodoro, the no.2 seed (11-3, 5-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7), prior to overcoming Germany’s Dominik Jonack (8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5) and Croatia’s Ivor Ban, the no.6 seed (11-5, 11-5, 11-4, 4-11, 11-7).
Success for Vladislav Ursu in the junior boys’ singles event was a mild surprise, in the junior boys’ doubles it was no surprise at all; alongside Guilherme Teodoro, the pair commenced matters as the top seeds.
Safely through to the penultimate round, they accounted for Ivor Ban and Croatian colleague, Jakov Jakelic, the no.8 seeds 911-9, 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-4), prior to overcoming Csaba Andras and Hungarian partner, Oliver Both, the no.3 seeds (12-10, 11-5, 13-11) to reserve the top step of the podium. In the counterpart semi-final, Csaba Andras and Oliver Both had ended the journey of Frenchman Jules Cavaille and Denis Dorcescu, the no.15 seeds (6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 10-12, 11-7).
The junior boys’ singles and junior boys’ doubles events concluded, attention now turns the junior boys’ team and cadet boys’ team competitions.
