by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Lining up alongside Kamil Dziadek and Lukasz Wachowiak, occupying the no.5 seeded position, in the group phase of the Junior Boys’ Team event, the trio upset the order of merit. The beat the combination formed by Brazil’s Rafael Torino, who lined up alongside the Portuguese pairing of Samuel da Silva and Vitor Amorin, the no.4 seed.

A three matches to nil outcome was the end result but the score-line was arguably somewhat harsh on the Lusofonia trio; two of the three matches went the full five games distance, the exception being that involving Przemyslaw Walaszek.

He gave his team the ideal start by beating Samuel da Silva in straight games (11-6, 11-4, 11-4), before by the very narrowest of margins Kamil Dziadek accounted for Vitor Amorin (11-7, 6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 12-10) and in an almost equally hard fought contest, Lukasz Wachowiak overcame Rafael Torino (11-6, 10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-6) to bring matters to a conclusion.

Defeat for the fourth seeds; for the top three outfits in a competition where only first place in the group ensured progress to the main draw, for the top three seeds there were no such problems.

The combination of Japan’s Aoto Asazu and Takeru Kashiwa alongside Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece, the top seeds, remained undefeated to secure first place in their group as did the next two teams in the order of merit. It was first place Spain ‘A’ represented by Alberto Lillo, Francisco Miguel Ruiz and Marc Guttierez as it was for the Belgium ‘A´ combination of Laurens Devos, Olav Kosolosky and Quentin Jacques.

At the semi-final stage Aoto Asazu, Takeru Kashiwa and Ioannis Sgouropoulos meet Poland; Spain ‘A’ face Belgium ‘A’; the Junior Boys’ Team event will be played to a conclusion on Saturday 21st April.