by Calvin Koh
This week, the 17-year-old Indian, ranked seventh in the ITTF Table Tennis Youth Ranking, is chasing his fourth WTT Youth Series title. Jain already has a hat-trick of victories from Otocec, Tunis and Muscat this season and continues to show his rising talent in Europe this week.
Jain started his campaign promisingly with straight-game victories over Tanapat Thanmathikom and Gene Wantz in the group stage. After receiving a bye in the Round of 64, Jain dispatched his Russian opponent 3-1 (11-6, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7) before enjoying another straight-game win over Suresh Raj (11-8,11-5, 11-9) to set up a quarter-final clash with Liu Zhenlong from Austria.
In-form Izaac Quek from Singapore will take on Brazil’s Leonardo Ilzuka Kenzo for a place in the last four. Quek, who won his second WTT Youth Series title in consecutive weeks- starting with his breakthrough in Italy followed by Hungary, is back to challenge for more titles in the Slovak Republic this week.
Quek brushed aside local hope Samuel Sutiak 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-3) before repeating another straight-game victory over India’s Shankhadip Das 3-0 (12-10, 11-9, 11-4) to head into the knock-out stages.
He took down Canada’s Max Ji 3-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-6) before prevailing in a five-game battle 3-2 (9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7) against Simon Belik from the Czech Republic which lasted more than 35 minutes.
Australia’s Nicholas Lum takes on Spain’s Daniel Berzosa whilst Napat Thanmathikom from Thailand meets Germany’s Tom Schweiger in the other quarter-finals of the Under-17 Boys’ Singles competition.
In the Under-13 Boys’ Singles competition, Montenegro’s Jaksa Krivokapic denied Steven Joel Moreno Rivera a place in the quarter-final after defeating the Puerto Rican 3-1 (8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7).
Martin Slany was pushed to the distance in a five-game encounter with Adrian Kastl. The 13-year-old from the Czech Republic eventually took down the Austrian 3-2 (10-12, 11-8, 11-1, 9-11, 11-6) to progress.
The Under-19 and Under-15 Boys’ Singles competitions get underway on Saturday, November 6, with the champions for the Under-17 and Under-13 competitions to be decided too.
For more information on WTT Youth Contender Senec, click here.
