Romanian mixed pair win bronze medal MOREGARD prevent all-Chinese semi-finals

Penultimate day of the 2017 ITTF World Junior Championships in Riva del Garda: No. 4 Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU lost to no. 1 China`s XUE Fei/WANG Manyu in straight games. Sweden`s Truls MOREGARD upset both Yuto KIZUKURI the no.2 seed and XU Haidong to reach Junior Boys Singles semis

Penultimate day of the 2017 ITTF World Junior Championships in Riva del Garda Italy was successful for European representatives who secured two medals.

Romania`s no. 4 seed Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU reached semi-final in the Mixed Doubles where they have been eliminated by no. 1 seeds China`s XUE Fei and WANG Manyu in straight games – 4:0 (11:5 11:9 11:3 11:9). PLETEA and DIACONU defeated other China`s mixed pair in the quarter-finals no. 5 seed XU Haidong/QIAN Tanyi 4:2 (8:11 11:8 14:12 3:11 11:8). XUE and WANG overcame Russia`s Vladimir SIDORENKO and Puerto Rico`s Adriana DIAZ in straight sets to book their place in the top four mixed pairs. Other finalists are Korea`s AN Jaehyun and KIM Jiho who beat China`s WANG Chuqin/SUN Yingsha after full seven games.

Sweden`s Truls MOREGARD beat the odds twice to secure medal in the Junior Boys Singles contest. First he beat Japan`s Yuto KIZUKURI the no.2 seed continuing his winning streak against China`s XU Haidong in straight sets. He managed to reverse the score from 1:2 to 4:2 against Chinese – 4:2 (6:11 11:9 8:11 11:8 11:9 11:9).

Domestic hero Mateo MUTTI eliminated Chinese Taipei`s LI Hsin-Yang after full seven games to get the chance to play against top seed XUE Fei. Chinese overcame MUTTI in five games of the quarter-finals. Likewise Belgium`s Florian CNUDDE was beaten by one Chinese WANG Chuqin in five games of the quarter-finals. Earlier in the day Italian boy has been extended to full distance by Romania`s Cristian PLETEA.

Unique European representative in the top eight Junior Girls Singles ZHANG Xuan from Spain  was beaten by no. 3 seed Japan`s Miyu KATO in the five games of the quarter-finals. Beside KATO three China`s players will continue battle for the gold: no. 1 seed SUN Yingsha QIAN Tainyi and no. 2 seed WANG Manyu.

Concerning Junior Boys Doubles Florian CNUDDE and Laurens DEVOS from Belgium showed big fight in the quarter-final clash against Japan`s Yukiya UDA and Yuta TANAKA. But their opponents prevailed after full seven games taking last one by a narrow margin. All three European pairs in the Junior Girls Doubles lost their quarter-final encounters.

Junior Boys Singles Quarter-finals

XUE Fei (China) – Mateo MUTTI (Italy) 4:1 (11:5 11:5 11:6 9:11 11:5)

WANG Chuqin (China) – Florian CNUDDE (Belgium) 4:1 (11:2 11:3 9:11 11:7 11:6)

NIU Guankai (China) – AN Jaehyun (Korea) 4:3 (10:12 11:8 5:11 7:11 14:12 11:9 11:6)

Truls MOREGARDH (Sweden) – XU Haidong (China) 4:0 (11:8 11:9 12:10 11:7)

Junior Girls Singles Quarter-finals

SIN Yungsha (China) – Miyu NAGASAKI (Japan) 4:1 (7:11 11:7 11:6 11:9 11:5)

QIAN Tianyi (China) – Mitsuho KIMURA (Japan) 4:2 (14:12 13:11 11:6 11:13 11:13 11:7)

Miyu KATO (Japan) – ZHANG Xuan (Spain) 4:1 (11:7 18:16 11:7 7:11 11:5)

WANG Manyu (China) – CHAU Wing Sze (Hong Kong) 4:0 (11:2 11:4 11:8 11:5)