by Ian Marshall, Editor
Exacting tasks, as the day started severe tests faced India’s Jeet Chandra, Italy’s Carlo Rossi and Germany’s Meng Fanbo, alongside Belgium’s Laurens Devos, Russia’s Maksim Grebnev and Canada’s Jeremy Hazin. They started the day with the challenge of knowing they had to beat the highest rated player in their group to be assured of first position and thus progress to the knock-out stage; with one exception they all succeeded.
The one exception was Carlo Rossi, unbeaten the previous day, he lost to Frenchman Leo de Nodrest in five games (11-9, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7). However, the previous day in his opening contest Carlo Rossi had beaten Germany’s Daniel Rinderer in straight games (11-8, 12-10, 11-4, 11-8) who, in his very next contest, had overcome Leo de Nodrest in five games (9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9).
Thus games ratio decided; it was first place for Carlo Rossi (5:4) followed by Le de Nodrest (5:5) and Daniel Rinderer (4:5).
Otherwise, it was success when facing the most prominent name in the concluding group contest.
Jeet Chandra prevailed against Italy’s Matteo Mutti (12-10, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6), Meng Fanbo defeated Iran’s Amirreza Abbasi (2-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5). Similarly, Laurens Devos accounted for Poland’s Samuel Kulczycki (11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7), whilst Maksim Grebnev overcame Austria’s Maciej Kolodziejczyk (11-7, 11-7, 2-11, 16-14, 11-5). Not to be outdone Jeremy Hazin ended the hopes of Japan’s Kakeru Sone (11-9, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-4).
Impressive performances, for those who had excelled the previous day by securing victory against the top name in the group, the good form continued.
Germany’s Cédric Meissner maintained his unblemished record by beating New Zealand’s Zhao Yanglun (6-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-3, 11-7), in a similar vein Nikhil Kumar of the United States accounted for Iran’s Navid Shams (11-7, 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-2). Meanwhile, in a rather closer contest, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Ying-Chih overcame Singapore’s Gerald Yu Zong Jun (3-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-8, 7-11, 13-15, 11-5).
Unexpected first places; in the remaining groups the top names held firm. Iran’s Amin Ahmadian concluded matters without defeat, as did Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko, Thailand’s Yanapong Panagitgun and Chinese Taipei’s Tai Ming-Wei. Likewise, India’s Manush Utpalbhai Shah, Germany’s Kay Stumper and Sharon Alguetti of the United States ended matters in the first places as status advised.
The first round of the Boys’ Singles event will be staged later in the day.
