by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
The major nation standing in their way is Tunisia in the Cadet Boys’ Team and Under 21 Men’s Team events is Tunisia.
At the semi-final stage of the Cadet Boys’ Team event, Tunisia’s Khalil Sta and Youssef Abid beat Congo Brazzaville’s Exauce Ngefuassa and Christian Mbongia by three matches to nil; a victory margin that was also recorded by the Egyptian pairing of Ziad Elshawa and Mohamed Azzam. They proved too strong for the Algerian formation of Abderrahmane Azzala, Abdelwahab Bellahsene and Meziane Belabbas.
Comprehensive semi-final wins, it was the same in the Under 21 Men’s Team competition.
Impressively, Tunisia’s Nathael Hamdoun, Chouayb Lagh and Mootezz Saadaoui beat Togo’s Kossi Akakpo, Ataro Assau and Kodjo Boccavi by three matches to nil; a result that was also posted by Egypt’s Aly Ghallab, Youssef Abdel-Aziz and Mohamed Hussein in opposition to Algeria’s Azzeddine Lazazi, Abdelbasset-Aziz and Mohamed Hussein.
Meanwhile in the Under 21 Women’s Team and Cadet Girls’ Team events, it is Algeria who awaits in the final.
In the penultimate round of the Under 21 Women’s Team event, the Algerian trio of Sannah Lagsir, Hiba Feredj and Melissa Nasri gave a command performance; they recorded a three-nil win in opposition to Côte d’Ivoire’s Rebecca Hounge, Christine Kamenan and Melissa Nasri. Not to be outdone, Amira Yousry, Marwa Alhodaby and Mariam Alhodaby maintained Egyptian pride. They secured a three-nil victory over Tunisia’s Abir Haj Salah, Fadwa Garci and Manel Baklouti.
Meanwhile in the Cadet Girls’ Team combination, at the semi-final stage the combination of Algeria’s Melissa Belache and Hadjer Tahmi accounted for Tunisia’s Farah Mahjoub and Maram Zoghlami by three matches to one, the one success for Tunisia being recorded by Maram Zoghlami in the second match of the engagement when facing Hadjer Tahmi (11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-9).
Impressively in the counterpart semi-final, Egypt’s Sara Elhakem and Hend Fathy recorded a three-nil win in opposition to South Africa’s Kiara Naidoo and Yashka Rabichand.
The finals of the Under 21 Men’s Team and Under 21 Women’s Team events in addition to the Cadet Boys’ and Cadet Girls’ Team competitions will be played on Tuesday 10th April.
