by Ian Marshall, Editor

It was lower down the order the surprises occurred.

Men’s Singles

…………Sweden’s Mattias Falck, the top seed, suffered a second round scare. He was extended the full seven games by Iran’s Nima Alamian (9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10)

………… Korea Republic’s Cho Deokhwa and India’s Amalraj Anthony, both required to compete in the qualification tournament, progressed to the third round

…………Can Akkuzu, recently crowned French national champion, caused the biggest upset of the day, in the second round, the no.22 seed, he beat Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko (11-5, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5)

Women’s Singles

…………Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus, now 40 years old, caused the biggest upset of the day; she beat Germany’s Petrissa Solja, the no.7 seed and winner of the recent CCB 2019 Europe Top 16 Cup. She won in seven games (11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-8)

…………Daria Trigolos, also from Belarus, only 19 years of age, gave the most impressive performance of the day; she beat Russia’s Polina Mikhailova, the no.11 seed, in five games (6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8, 11-1

…………winner in Portugal in February, Japan’s Hina Hayata underlined the fact that she has every intention of securing a repeat success; the no.9 seed, she beat Russia’s Yana Noskova (11-3, 11-7, 11-8, 12-14, 11-8).

Men’s Doubles

…………Slovakia’s Samuel Kaluzny and Lubomir Pistej caused the biggest surprise. In the opening round they beat Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beiali and Ahmed Ali Saleh, the no.5 seeds (14-12, 11-6, 11-9)

Women’s Doubles

…………biggest casualty in the opening round was that pairing of Egypt’s Farah Abdel-Aziz and Reem El-Eraky. The no.5 seeds and reigning African champions, they were beaten by the combination of Kazakhstan’s Zauresh Akasheva and Poland’s Magdelana Sikorska (11-6, 11-8, 13-11)

Mixed Doubles

…………Singapore’s Clarence Chew and Lin Ye emerged the surprise pairing; not seeded they beat Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej and Tatiana Kukulkova, the no.2 seeds, in the opening round (11-3, 11-1, 10-12, 8-11, 11-9), before reserving a semi-final place courtesy of success against India’s Harmeet Desai and Madhurika Patkar, the no.6 seeds (11-6, 14-12, 11-5)

Under 21 Men’s Singles

…………Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko and Artur Abusev upset the order of merit to reserve places in the final. Vladimir Sidorenko commenced matters the no.6 seed, Artur Abusev, the no.7 seed

Under 21 Women’s Singles

…………Not seeded India’s Archana Girish Kamath emerged a surprise finalist; in the title decider she meets Japan’s Satsuki Odo, the top seed

Quotes of the Day

Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Oman Open: Quotes of the Day – Friday 22nd March