by Ian Marshall, Editor
Success for the 18 year old came immediately colleague, He Zhuojia had clinched the women’s singles title and thus added to her ITTF World Tour success in 2014 in the Argentine capital city of Buenos Aires.
From Qualification to Crown
Required to qualify, at the final hurdle, Xu Yingbin beat Poland’s Marek Badowski, the no.18 seed (11-8, 13-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6), having earlier in the day ended the hopes of colleague, Xu Haidong (7-11, 11-3, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5), likewise a qualifier. In the counterpart semi-final, Marek Badowski had ended the hopes of Korea Republic’s Park Chan-Hyeok (8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9).
Impressive from Xu Yingbin, it was arguably even more imposing from 20 year old, He Zhuojia, the silver medallist at the 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Incheon.
After overcoming colleague Zhang Qiang (11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5) in the penultimate round, He Zhuojia beat 15 year old Chen Yi, the reigning Asian cadet girls’ singles champion (11-5, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4) to claim the top prize. At the semi-final stage Chen Yi had overcome Korea Republic’s Yang Haeun, the no.26 seed (11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10).
Argentine gold
A first for Xu Yingbin, it was the same in the men’s doubles event but not in the women’s doubles competition.
Argentina’s Gaston Alto and Horacio Cifuentes promoted the Latin American cause; the no.5 seeds, at the final hurdle they beat Poland’s Maciej Kubik and Samuel Kulczycki (11-6, 2-11, 12-10, 11-8) to secure their first ever such title as a pairing on either the ITTF World Tour or ITTF Challenge Series tournament.
Second title
Somewhat differently for Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto and Maki Shiomi, it was their second women’s doubles success as a partnership at an ITTF Challenge Series tournament. Earlier this year they had won in Paraguay beating Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz and Melanie Diaz in the final. In Wladyslawowo in the title decider, they accounted for Korea Republic’s Lee Eunhye and Sin Yubin.
Play concluded in Wladyslawowo, attention now turns to Minsk, the 2019 ITTF Challenge Belgosstrakh Belarus Open commences on with qualification on Wednesday 30th October.
