by Ian Marshall, Editor
Very much the last day of action followed the pattern of the previous day, when respectively Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin and Miyu Nagasaki had secured their first ever under 21 men’s singles and under 21 women’s singles titles at either an ITTF World Tour or at an ITTF Challenge Series tournament.
Men’s Singles
…………Wei Shihao, whose journey started four days earlier in the qualification tournament, beat Poland’s Jakub Dyjas, the no.12 seed (13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4) to seal the title.
…………At the semi-final stage Jakub Dyjas caused a major upset, he beat Austria’s Daniel Habesohn, the top seed (11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 15-13).
Women’s Singles
…………Georgina Pota, the no.2 seed, won the women’s singles title in dramatic fashion; after recording a full distance semi-final win in opposition to Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the no.4 (11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6), in the final she saved a total if three match points in a dramatic seventh game to beat Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska, the no.6 seed (6-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 15-13).
…………Margaryta Pesotska became the first player from Ukraine ever to reach a women’s singles final at an ITTF Challenge Series tournament or on the ITTF World Tour.
Men’s Doubles
…………Brazil Eric Jouti and Gustavo Tsuboi, justified their top seeded position; at the final hurdle they beat Chinese Taipei qualifiers Huang Chien-Tu and Wang Tai-Wei (7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 14-12); it was the only match in the whole event when they surrendered a game.
…………The win meant they climbed one step higher than last year; on that occasion they had been beaten in the final by Poland’s Marek Badowski and Patryk Zatowka.
Women’s Doubles
…………Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki upset the pecking order; in an all Japanese final, the no.6 seeds, they beat Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata, the no.2 seeds to claim the title (11-6, 11-5, 11-7).
…………An improvement on last year; in 2018 they had been beaten in the final by Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Nam and Minnie Soo Wai Yam.
