by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Hung Tzu-Hsiang overcame Belgium’s Laurens Devos (9-11, 5-11, 11-2, 9-11, 14-12, 11-7, 11-6), Felipe Olivares ended the hopes of Russia’s Sanila Travin (3-11, 11-3, 13-15, 11-1, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8).

First places for Hung Hzu-Hsiang and Felipe Olivares; they were not the only notable players who were the highest ranked in their respective groups and found problems securing first places.

It was the same for Italy’s Marco Rech Daldosso, Frenchman Antoine Hachard, Russia’s Sadi Ismailov and Slovenia’s Jan Zibrat.

Marco Rech Daldosso was beaten by Russia’s Ivan Nikulin in six games (11-8, 14-12, 14-12, 12-14, 7-11, 11-9) but gained a reprieve. On the opening day had accounted for Slovakia’s Tibor Spanik in five games (10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 13-11, 11-3), the player who in the opening contest had overcome Ivan Nikulin by a similar margin (16-14, 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7).

Thus games ratio determined the outcome; it was first place for Marco Rech Daldosso (6:5) followed by Tibor Spanik (5:5) and Ivan Nikulin (5:6).

Meanwhile, Antoine Hachard, Sadi Ismailov and Jan Zibrat, all remained unbeaten but needed the full seven games in their concluding group phase matches in order to secure first place.

Antoine Hachard was tested by Poland’s Tomasz Kotowski (10-12, 6-11, 11-9, 11-3, 7-11, 11-1, 11-3), Sadi Ismailov found Iran’s Mohammadali Rouintanesfahani a most worthy adversary (15-13, 10-12, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 13-11, 11-7), whilst Jan Zibrat experienced problems in overcoming Miad Lotfijanabadi, like Mohammadali Rouintanesfahani from Iran (11-13, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-4).

Players finishing in first places in groups no.1 to no.12 advanced directly to the main draw; those in top spot in groups no.1 to no.42 compete in a preliminary round; the winners gaining first round proper places.