German no.1 seed faces Tomokazu HARIMOTO in the Men`s Singles gold medal contest
Six times individual European champion Timo BOLL recorded two fast victories to secure his place in the Men`s Singles of the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Czech Open in Olomouc. First he beat Sweden`s Par GERELL in the quarter-final stage then he overcame actual ECH champion Emmanuel LEBESSON again in straight games.
The 36-year-old German the top seed faces 14-year-old Tomokazu HARIMOTO (no.4 seed) in the gold medal contest. Japanese managed to save five match balls against Brazil`s Hugo CALDERANO (no.9) playing full seven games.
HARIMOTO currently 14 years and two months old reached his second ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles final. When he played his very first one on 19th February in New Delhi (India) he became the youngest player ever to reach a final of this competition. Then he was only 13 years and 237 days old and he was beaten by Dimitrij OVTCHAROV.
Two Japan`s player will meet one another in the Women`s Singles final. The 16-year-old Mima ITO eliminated no.2 seed HAN Ying from Germany and now challenges for the crown top seeded Kasumi ISHIKAWA. ITO defeated HAN in five games while ISHIKAWA had no mercy against Yui HAMAMOTO in the all-Japanese semis.
Two more finals will be held on the concluding day. No.1 seed in the Men`s Doubles Patrick FRANZISKA (Germany) Jonathan GROTH (Denmark) will face Jin UEDA Maharu YOSHIMURA from Japan.
Sweden`s Matilda EKHOLM and Hungary`s Georgina POTA reached their new ITTF World Tour Women`s Doubles final. This time their rivals will be Hina HAYATA and Mima ITO from Japan.
Men`s Singles Semi-final
Timo BOLL (Germany) – Emmanuel LEBESSON (France) 4:0 (11:3 11:9 12:10 12:10)
Tomokazu HARIMOTO (Japan) – Hugo CALDERANO (Brazil) 4:3 (6:11 12:10 4:11 11:4 11:9 9:11 16:14)
Women`s Singles Semi-final
Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) – Yui HAMAMOTO (Japan) 4:0 (11:6 12:10 13:11 11:9)
Mima ITO (Japan) – HAN Ying (Germany) 4:1 (11:5 6:11 12:10 11:5 11:4)
