05/26/2012        2012 ITTF EURO AFRICA CIRCUIT, Zagreb Open

The winner one week earlier in Minsk, Russia’s Polina Mikailova booked her place in the semi-final stage of the Women’s Singles event at the Euro-Africa Circuit Zagreb Open, following series of fine performances on Saturday 26th May 2012.

At no stage of the proceedings was the no.5 seed extended the full seven games distance.

The closest call was a six games quarter-final win over Marina Berho of France (11-13, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7), having one round earlier accounted for Bulgaria’s Asya Kasabova, the no.15 seed (7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 6-11, 6-11).

However, the Russian ended the day the highest seeded player in the Women’s Singles event still standing.

Illness Forced Withdrawal
Hungary’s Georgina Pota, the no.1 seed, withdrew from proceedings; never venturing on to the court.

She arrived in Zagreb nursing an injury and then following a stomach upset decided discretion was the better part of valour.

The withdrawal of Georgina Pota paved the way for Ina Karahodzina to progress to the second round, where she was beaten by Marina Berho (11-6, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8).

More Disappointment for Hungary
Disappointment for Hungary and there was more; Krisztina Toth, the no.2 seed was beaten at the quarter-final stage by Linda Creemers of the Netherlands (11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 6-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-3), who one round earlier had overcome Alina Arlouskaya of Belarus in a more comfortable manner (11-5, 11-8, 11-4, 11-7).

Similarly, Croatia’s Tamara Boros, the no.3 seed, departed in the quarter-finals; whilst the Slovak Republic’s Eva Odorova, the no.4 seed, bid farewell one hurdle earlier in round two.

Third and Fourth Seeds Depart
Hungary’s Szandra Pergel, the no.8 seed, who in the second round had caused Croatia more pain by overcoming Lea Rakovac (11-5, 3-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7), defeated Tamara Boros in a full distance seven games duel (6-11, 8-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8).

Meanwhile, Romania’s un-seeded Andrada Vincze overcame Eva Odorova in round two (2-11, 9-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6), before beating Hungary’s Dora Madarasz, the no.7 seed in a tension packed seven games duel (11-8, 3-11, 13-11, 8-11, 2-11, 11-6, 13-11) to book her place in the penultimate round.

Semi-Finals
In the semi-finals Polina Mikhailova meets Andrada Vincze, Szandra Pergel confronts Linda Creemers.

Silver Medal for Andrada Vincze
A place in the last four guaranteed for Andrada Vincze in the Women’s Singles event; in the Under 21 Women’s Singles competition, she reached the last two.

Again, not seeded, she accounted for Mariya Kuchuk of Belarus in the semi-finals (6-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3) before losing to Mariya Kuchuk’s compatriot, Elena Dubkova, the no.2 seed, in the final (11-7, 11-5, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4).

End of Road for Croatian
At the semi-final stage, Elena Dubkova had beaten Croatia’s Mateja Jeger, the no.4 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 11-6).