by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Success on his first venture, it was success on his second; in a further full distance duel, he overcame Hungary’s Nandor Ecseki, the no.24 seed (11-7, 8-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-7) to reserve his place in the last eight.
One major upset and there was one more of note as matters advanced to the round of the last eight. Frenchman Alexandre Cassin, the no.13 seed, after accounting for the host nation’s Maciej Kolodziejczyk, the no.36 seed (11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 8-11, 11-4), beat Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri, the no.3 seed, in a further full distance duel (11-3, 9-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6).
Two notable performances; they rather overshadowed the efforts of Hungary’s Adam Szudi; the no.19 seed. Having ousted Hong Kong’s Lam Siu Hang, the no.5 seed and winner earlier this year in Qatar, he reserved his quarter-final place by causing yet another upset. He beat Darko Jorgic, the no.10 seed (11-5, 9-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-6), a player who like Deni Kozul had played a major role in Slovenia’s podium finish in Luxembourg.
Three surprise quarter-finalists; the remaining three names were as anticipated.
Korea’s Cho Seungmin, the no.2 seed, beat Hungary’s Bence Majoros, the no.17 seed (11-6, 11-5, 17-15) to reserve his place in the last eight; likewise China’s Niu Guanki, the no.4 seed, accounted for Germany’s Kilian Ort, the no.9 seed (8-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-7)
Progress as expected, it was the same for Kirill Gerassimenko, China’s Xue Fei and Hong Kong’s Ng Pak Nam, the players who complete the names of the top eight seeds.
Kirill Gerassimenko beat Chinese Taipei’s Yang Heng-Wei, the no.11 seed (11-9, 11-7, 11-4), Xue Fei accounted for Sun Chia-Hung, the no.12 seed and also from Chinese Taipei (11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-3); Ng Pak Nam ended the hopes of Portugal’s Diogo Chen, the no.21 seed (11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 11-4).
At the quarter-final stage Deni Kozul meets Ng Pak Nam, Xue Fei opposes Niu Guankai. In the opposite half of the draw it is Alexandre Cassin in opposition to Kirill Gerassimenko, Adam Szudi versus Cho Seungmin.
The matches will be played in the evening session of play.
