Wei Shihao secures title
Men’s Singles Final:
The journey starting four days earlier in the qualification tournament, Wei Shihao, proving most adept when playing over the table near the net, beat Poland’s Jakub Dyjas in six games to arrest the title (13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4).
A first such final for both players, Wei Shihao becomes the third player when representing Croatia to win a men’s singles title at an ITTF Challenge Series tournament or on the ITTF World Tour; he succeeds Zoran Primorac and Tan Ruiwu.
Meanwhile Tomas Krszeszewski remains the only Polish player to achieve such an accolade; in 2001 he won in the Netherlands, in Otocec he was the coach sitting courtside advising Jakub Dyjas.
Georgina Pota wins epic final
Women’s Singles Final:
Hungary’s Georgina Pota, the no.2 seed, beat Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska, the no.6 seed by the very narrowest of margins in a gripping final (6-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 15-13).
Crucially, trailing 5-6 in the sixth game and Georgina Pota elected for “Time Out”, the break reaped dividends, she won the game by the minimal margin, before in the seventh establishing a 5-2 lead at the change of ends. Margaryta Pesotska, levelled at 7-all, then at 10-9 held match point; again at 11-10 and 12-11 she had an opportunities before on her second match point, Georgina Pota succeeded.
It was for Georgina Pota her third such title; on the ITTF World Tour, she had won in Belgium in both 2014 and 2016; for Margaryta Pesotska she became the first ever player from Ukraine to reach a women’s singles final at an ITTF World Tour or ITTF Challenge Series tournament.
Emulating Japan
Men’s Doubles: Final
Top seeds, Brazil’s Eric Jouti and Gustavo Tsuboi justified their exalted status. They secured gold at the final expense of Chinese Taipei qualifiers, Huang Chien-Tu and Wang Tai-Wei; they emerged successful in four games (7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9).
Thus similar to Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki it was one step higher than last year; on that occasion they had been beaten in the final by Poland’s Marek Badowski and Patryk Zatowka.
One step higher for Miyuu Kihara and Miyuu Nagasaki
Women’s Doubles: Final
Runners up just over one year ago when the tournament was staged in early April, one year later it was one step higher for Japan’s Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki.
In an all Japanese final they caused an upset of note; the no.6 seeds, they beat Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata, the no.2 seeds, to claim gold and thus secured their first ever such title at either an ITTF Challenge Series or ITTF World Tour tournament.
Battle of the qualifiers
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
Croatia’s Wei Shihao has confirmed his place in the men’s singles final with a 4-1 victory over Japanese opponent Takuya Jin (9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5) in the battle of the qualifiers.
Wei Shihao takes on Jakub Dyjas for the men’s singles trophy at approximately 4.45 pm local time.
End-to-end action
Women’s Singles: Semi-Finals
Hungarian star Georgina Pota has gained the second available spot in the women’s singles tournament after coming out on top in a thrilling duel against Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam. In an end-to-end contest six games were required to send second seed Georgina Pota through (11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6).
The women’s singles final is scheduled to take place at approximately 3.50 pm local time.
Top seed falls at penultimate hurdle
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
That’s right, we’ve lost the top seeded player from the men’s singles event after Austria’s Daniel Habesohn suffered defeat in his semi-final encounter with the no.12 seed from Poland, Jakub Dyjas. Very little separated the two players during the course of each game but ultimately it was Jakub Dyjas who came away with the win (11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 15-13).
Ukraine star advances in style
Women’s Singles: Semi-Finals
Seeded sixth for the women’s singles competition, Margaryta Pesotska has booked her place in the gold medal contest following a rousing performance in the opening fixture of the day.
Impressive right from the start of play the Ukraine player dealt with Japanese no.12 seed Satsuki Odo in straight games (11-8, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5) to extend her journey by a further round.
Final Day in Otocec
The final day of the Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Slovenia Open is here – take a detailed look at the day’s schedule below:
