by Ian Marshall
Rares Sipos and Andreea Dragomann, the no.3 seeds, after having beaten Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko and Mariia Tailakova, the top seeds (11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9), secured the top step of the podium.
They overcame the French pairing of Irvin Bertrand and Leili Mostafavi, the no.20 seeds (11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10) to bring the penultimate day of action to a close.
Excelled all exprectations
Success came after Annett Kaufmann had excelled all expectations to book her semi-final women’s singles place.
Winner earlier this year in August of the under 15 girls’ singles title at the European Youth Championships in Varazdin and later in October at the World Table Tennis tournament in Wladyslawowo, Annett Kaufmann shone.
The lowest ranked of the 56 entrants, she beat Croatia’s Hana Arapovic (11-5, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9), prior to recording a quarter-final success in opposition to Camille Lutz of France (8-11, 12-10, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9).
Germany guaranteed final place
Success for Annett Kaufmann; moreover, a guaranteed place for Germany in the final.
At the semi-final stage she meets colleague Franziska Schreiner, the no.28 seed, the winner against Poland’s Katarzyna Wegrzyn (9-11, 11-9, 15-13, 11-9, 11-7) and Romania’s Elena Zaharia (11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8).
Disappointment for Romania but in the opposite half of the women’s singles draw there was success. Andreea Dragoman, the no.10 seed, accounted for Lithuania’s Kornelija Riliskyte (12-10, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-4) and Slovakia’s Ema Labosova (12-10, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3).
Meanwhile, Mariia Tailakova, the highest listed of all, beat Serbia’s Sabina Surjan, the no.3 seed (8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8), prior to ousting Poland’s Ann Wegrzyn (0-11, 11-5, 11-7, 15-13, 11-9).
Similar scenario
Progress for Mariia Tailakova, the only top eight seeded player who received a direct entry to the second phase of play, to reach the last four; it was a very similar scenario in the men’s singles.
Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece, the no.3 seed, emerged the only leading name to reserve a semi-final berth.
Occupying the no.3 seeded position, he beat Italy’s Carlo Rossi (7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3) followed by success when facing Frenchman Bastien Rembert, the no.5 seed (6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8, 11-4).
Russians in form
Russia’s Level Katsman, the no.11 seed, now awaits. He accounted for the host nation’s Adrien Rassenfosse (10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 12-14, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8), followed by success in opposition to Germany’s Meng Fanbo, the no.7 seed (16-14, 15-13, 8-11, 11-7, 5-11, 16-14).
Notable success for Lev Katsman, it was the same for colleague, Maksim Grebnev, the no.29 seed.
After beating Frenchman, Leo de Nodrest (15-13, 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-4), he ended the hopes of Rares Sipos, the no.2 seed (11-6, 11-7, 13-11, 11-4).
More French opposition
Impressive progress to the last four, now another Frenchman stands in the way; in the penultimate round Maksim Grebnev meets Irvin Bertrand, the no.17 seed.
Similar to Maksim Grebnev, Irvin Bertrand caused Romania heartache.
Imposingly, in the opening round he beat Cristian Pletea, the top seed (11-3, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6), prior to ousting Croatia’s Ivor Ban (9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7, 17-15).
Top seeds fall
Defeat for the men’s singles top seed, it was the same in the semi-finals of both the men’s doubles and women’s doubles.
Totally against the odds, in the former, the combination of Hungary’s Csaba Andras and Croatia’s Ivor Ban, the no.20 seeds, beat Maksim Grebnev and Lev Katsman (11-6, 11-13, 12-14, 11-5, 11-9), the pair who early this year in June had won the men’s doubles title at the European Championships.
Likewise, in the latter, Mariia Tailakova and Russian partner, Elizabet Abramian, experienced a semi-final defeat against Turkey’s Ece Harac and Olga Yilmaz, the no.4 seeds (11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7).
Penultimate round adversaries
Belgium’s Olav Kosolosky and Adrien Rassenfosse now await for Csaba Andras and Ivor Ban; for Ece Harac and Olga Yilmaz, it is Serbia’s Tijana Jokic and Sabina Surjan.
Olav Kosolosky and Adrien Rassenfosse, the no.9 seeds, ended the progress of the partnership comprising Austria’s Maciej Kolodziejczyk and Moldova’s Vladislav Ursu, the no.10 seeds (4-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-6) to book their final place.
Similarly, Tijana Jokic and Sabina Surjan overcame Slovakia’s Tatiana Kukulkova and Ema Labosova, the no.3 seeds (11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-13, 12-10) to reserve their place in the title decider.
Play in Spa concludes on Sunday 14th November.
