by Ian Marshall
Direct entries to the second stage, listed amongst the top eight names in the men’s singles event, Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece and Frenchman Bastien Rembert, alongside Germany’s Meng Fanbo and Cedric Meissner, ended the day unbeaten.
In the counterpart women’s singles event, only Russia’s Mariia Tailakova, the name at the head of the order, maintained an unblemished record.
Problems for Romania
Romania’s Cristian Pletea, the men’s singles top seed, lost to Russia’s Lev Katsman (10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9), colleague, Rares Sipos, next in the order of merit, was beaten by Italy’s Leonardo Mutti (6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5).
Similarly, Belgium’s Laurens Devos, the no.6 seed, lost to Frenchman, Leo de Nodrest (11-3, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9).
Hopes dashed
One defeat; hopes of a main draw place remain alive. Alas, for Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko, the no.4 seed, such ambitions are over.
He was beaten by Irvin Bertrand, like Leo de Nodrest from France (9-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5) and by Italy’s Carlo Rossi (6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 8-11, 11-9).
Both Irvin Bertrand and Carlo Rossi ended the day unbeaten and are thus guaranteed main draw places; for Vladimir Sidorenko, it is farewell.
Additional to Irvin Bertrand and Carlo Rossi, Russia’s Lev Katsman and Belgium’s Adrien Rassenfosse experienced a day without blemish.
End of journey
Journey’s end for Vladimir Sidorenko, in the women’s singles it was the same for Slovakia’s Tatiana Kukulkova, the no.3 seed and colleague Nikoleta Puchovanova, the no.8 seed, as it was for Turkey’s Olga Yilmaz, the no.4 seed and Serbia’s Tijana Jokic, the no.7 seed.
All ended the day without a win to their name.
Tatiana Kukulkova experienced defeat at the hands of Lucie Gauthier of France (11-2, 11-3, 8-11, 4-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6) and Ukraine’s Anastasiya Dymytrenko (8-11, 11-9, 16-14, 11-9, 11-9).
Likewise, Nikoleta Puchovanova lost to Turkey’s Ece Harac (11-7, 11-4, 11-2, 9-11, 11-9) and Germany’s Franziska Schreiner (12-14, 11-9, 13-11, 11-3, 11-2).
Polish sisters in form
Both Olga Yilmaz and Tijana Jokic suffered against the Polish Wegrzyn sisters; Olga Yilmaz when facing Katarzyna (11-7, 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7), Tijana Jokic in opposition to Anna (11-5, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7).
Similarly, Olga Yilmaz was beaten by Slovakia’s Ema Labosova (6-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-5, 13-11, 11-5), Tijana Jokic by Croatia’s Hana Arapovic (11-7, 9-11, 15-13, 8-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8).
Ana and Katarzyna Wegrzyn ended the day unbeaten as did Lucie Gauthier, Ema Labosova, Hana Arapovic and Romania’s Andreea Dragoman, the player Nikoleta Puchovanova faces in her concluding group phase contest.
Progress in doubt
Meanwhile, for Serbia’s Sabina Surjan, Italy’s Jamila Laurenti and Russia’s Anastasia Kolish, progress lies in the balance; on the second day of action each recorded one defeat.
Sabina Surjan found Germany’s Annett Kaufman in form (11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4), a situation that applied also to Jamila Laurenti when facing Russia’s Elizabet Abraamian (10-12, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6, 11-4) and Anastasia Kolish in opposition to Lithuania’s Kornelija Riliskyte (9-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 12-10).
Impressively, Annett Kaufman and Elizabet Abraamian, alongside Tania Plaian who meets Anastasia Kolish in her concluding group stage contest, ended the day unbeaten.
Leading pairs make impressive starts
Upsets in the men’s singles and women’s singles events, not in the mixed doubles where the leading pairs safely progressed to round three.
Most notably, Vladimir Sidorenko and Mariia Tailakova, the top seeds, progressed, as did Romania’s Cristian Pletea and Tania Plaian, the no.2 seeds.
The leading partnerships in both the men’s doubles and women’s doubles events have yet to start their campaigns.
