by Ian Marshall, Editor

Starting proceedings the no.21 seed, Jang Seongil caused a first round upset by beating Singapore’s Izaac Quek Yong, the no.4 seed (11-6, 11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7). Thus he repeated the success experienced some two days earlier in the final of the boys’ team event. On that occasion Jang Seongil had emerged successful in four games (5-11, 14-12, 11-6, 12-10).

Notably, only 13 years old, the only player against whom Izaac Quek Yong has experienced defeat is Jang Seongil, a young man who possesses an unblemished record.

An impressive first round success, Jang Seongil accounted for Poland’s Milosz Redzimski, the no.12 seed (4-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9) to reserve his place in the penultimate round where he meets another surprise semi-finalist. He opposes Romania’s Iulian Chirita, the no.6 seed; he progressed courtesy of success in opposition to Belgium’s Louis Laffineur, the no.2 seed (10-12, 11-6, 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7) and Mexico’s Rogelio Castro, the no.16 seed (11-4, 11-3, 11-5, 11-3).

More Romanian success

Success for Romania and there was also success for the European country in the opposite half of the draw; matters progressing according to status.

Darius Movileanu, the no.3 seed, accounted for Australia’s Finn Luu, the no.11 seed (7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5, 11-3), prior to ousting Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo, the no.9 seed (11-7, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6). In an equally imposing manner, Japan’s Sora Matsushima, the top seed, beat Peru’s Carlos Fernandez, the no.14 seed (11-6, 11-3, 11-7, 11-8) and Nigeria’s Taiwo Mati, the no.13 seed (11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8) to reserve his semi-final place.

Even more comprehensive

Comprehensive wins for Jang Seongil, for Lee Yeonhui, the progress was even more comprehensive. The no.13 seed, she beat Brazil’s Guilia Takahashi, the no.6 seed, in straight games (11-8, 11-9, 11-3, 11-4), before booking her semi-final place in carbon copy fashion. She ended the hopes of Angie Tan, the no.22 seed (11-5, 11-5, 15-13, 11-6) and a player in form; in the opening round she had beaten Russia’s Vlada Voronina, the no.4 seed (11-4, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 5-11, 14-16, 11-8).

Progress to the semi-final round but notably the only surprise name to appear in the last four. Romania’s Elena Zaharia, the top seed, beat Ireland’s Sophie Earley, the no.14 seed (11-5, 11-9, 12-10, 11-5) and thus reversed the result of the team event. On duty for the Hopes team, Sophie Early had succeeded in four games (11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 14-12). Defeat avenged, Elena Zaharia accounted for Croatia’s Hana Arapovic, the no.5 seed (11-8, 9-11, 14-16, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9) to secure her place in the penultimate round.

Similarly impressive

Imposing performances, it was the same from Japan’s Kaho Akae, the no.2 seed and from Egypt’s Hana Goda, the no.3 seed.

Kako Akae accounted for Poland’s Anna Brzyska, the no.10 seed (11-4, 11-7, 11-4, 13-11) and Hungary’s Dorottya Tolgyes, the no.11 seed (11-1, 11-6, 11-7, 12-14, 11-6); Hana Goda ended the hopes of Wiktoria Wrobel, the no.29 seed and like Anna Brzyska from Poland (11-4, 11-7, 11-4, 11-7), followed by success in opposition to India’s Yashawini Deepak Ghorpade, the no.9 seed (12-10, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5).

At the semi-final stage Elena Zaharia meets Lee Yeonhui, Kaho Akae faces Hana Goda.

Balance in favour of favourites

Overall, the balance in favour of the favourites; in the cadet boys’ doubles and cadet girls’ doubles events, it was very much the same; just one surprise semi-finalist in each discipline.

In the cadet boys’ doubles, Poland’s Milosz Redzimski and Mateusz Zalewski, the no.6 seeds, recorded a quarter-final success against Louis Laffineur and Darius Movileanu, the no.2 seeds (11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9). In the penultimate round they now meet Iulian Chirita and Izaac Quek Yong, the no.3 seeds; in the adjacent half of the draw Sora Matsushima and Iran’s Navid Shams, the top seeds, confront the Czech Republic’s Simon Belik and Denis Izumdrunov, the no.4 seeds.

Success against the odds for Poland, it was the same in the cadet girls’ doubles competition. Anna Brzyska and Zuzanna Wielgos, the no.8 seeds, upset the order of merit by recording a quarter-final success against Hana Arapovic and Dorottya Tolgyes, the no.4 seeds (1-11, 7-11, 11-8, 16-14, 11-7). They now meet Kaho Akae and Lee Yeonhui, the no.2 seeds, in their quest for a place in the final; in the opposite half of the draw it is Vlada Voronova and Elena Zaharia, the top seeds, versus Guila Takahashi and Mexico’s Arantxa Cossio Aceves, the no.3 seeds.

Semi-finalists decided

Meanwhile, at the semi-final stage of the mixed doubles event, where players draw for partners, Mateusz Zalewski and Hana Arapovic face the combination of Poland’s Dawid Jadam and Tunisia’s Maram Zoghlami.

In the adjacent half of the draw Carlos Fernandez and the host nation’s Zuzanna Wieglos confront Izaac Quek Yong and Elena Zaharia.

Play in Wladyslawowo concludes on Thursday 31st October.