Other Events | 28 May 2016
Tomislav PUCAR clinched U 21 gold at home soil
Photo: Courtesy ITTF
2016 ITTF World Tour Zagreb Open
Germany’s Patrick FRANZISKA and Denmark’s Jonathan GROTH, won the Men’s Doubles title at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Zagreb Open. Not named amongst the eight seeded outfits, they accounted for the top seeded Korean duo of JUNG Youngsik and LEE Sangsu to arrest the title; the duo emerged successful by the minimal two point margin in the deciding game (13-11, 11-7, 11-13, 4-11, 11-9).
In the second preliminary round, they were not required to play in the first, they needed the full five games to beat the Japanese teenage combination of Tomokazu HARIMOTO and Yukiya UDA (11-8, 9-11, 11-1, 7-11, 11-7). In the semi final FRANZISKA and GROTH overcame Germany’s Ruwen FILUS and Ricardo WALTHER in straight games (4-11,6-11,5-11).
Hong Kong's DOO Hoi Kem and LEE Ho Ching emerged as the surprise winners of the Women's Doubles event. At the final hurdle they caused a major upset by beating Korea's JEON Jihee and YANG Haeun, the top seeds, to claim the title.
Tomislav PUCAR won the Under 21 Men’s Singles title. On his way to the title the no. 5 seed beat Portugal’s João GERALDO, the no. 2 seed, and in the final PUCAR overcame Poland’s Jakub DYJAS, the top seed.
He beat João GERALDO in three straight games (11-9, 11-5, 11-6), prior to overcoming Jakub Dyjas in a thrilling full distance duel decided by the minimal two point margin in the fifth game (8-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 14-12). In the opposite half of the draw, Jakub DYJAS had beaten Sweden’s Anton KÄLLBERG, the no. 3 seed (11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 13-11).
Defeat for the top seed in the Under 21 Men’s Singles event but not in the Under 21 Women’s Singles competition where Japan’s Mima ITO reigned supreme. At the semi-final stage she beat Singapore’s LIN Ye, the no. 8 seed, before securing the title by overcoming Yui HAMAMOTO, the no.6 seed.
In Korea’s Men’s Singles final JOO Saehyuk overcame JUNG Youngsik to clinch the title (11-4, 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-13, 7-11) whilst in the Japan’s final of the Women’s Singles Hitomi SATO overcame Miu HIRANO (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10,11-6).
