SHAN Xiaona loses to Katarzyna GRZYBOWSKA

The Day 4 of 2016 ITTF World Tour Polish Open (Major) in Warsaw

The top seed in the Men`s Singles Event Dimitrij OVTCHAROV had an easy job in the first two rounds. German beat host Marek BADOWSKI and Hungarian Adam PATTANTYUS respectively both in straight games while no. 5 seed Marcos FREITAS reached third round after hard clash with Japanese Kazuhiro YOSHIMURA. Portuguese defeated Vitor ISHIY from Brazil in the opening round of the main draw.

The 2011 Polish Open winner and no.6 seed this time Korea`s LEE Sangsu surprisingly lost to Russian Kirill SKACHKOV who was required to play in the qualification. European won 4:2 (12:10 11:7 8:11 11:5 8:11 11:6).

Yaroslav ZHMUDENKO caused the biggest upset in the Round of 64 as he beat the no. 3 seed Japanese Koki NIWA in six games – 4:2 (11:9 11:7 6:11 11:8 9:11 12:10). But Ukrainian didn’t manage to stay in the winning course and lost to Czech Republic`s Tomas KONECNY after full seven games – 4:3 (11:9 11:3 7:11 11:5 5:11 11:13 11:3).

Actual world`s no. 108 at the ITTF Women`s Ranking List Maria XIAO confirmed her winning streak from the qualification stage beating no. 22 seed Irene IVANCAN. After first two sets the score was leveled but Spanish player found a right play against German defender the 2011 European individual runner-up and won next three games in a row – 4:1 (11:7 8:11 13:11 12:10 11:5).

The no. 7 seed Germany`s Petrissa SOLJA kept her good shape from the recent 2016 European Olympic Qualification in Halmstad defeating Luxembourg`s Sarah DE NUTTE 4:2 (9:11 11:8 11:9 11:7 8:11 11:8). The 22-year-old had a bad start in the Round of 32 as Nanthana KOMWONG took the opening set but in the next four SOLJA was unstoppable.

Sabine WINTER is one of the heroes of the Day 4. She played 13 sets in two matches first against Yu AMANO 4:3 (11:5 11:6 8:11 11:4 7:11 9:11 11:5) then against Korea`s YANG Haeun 4:2 (11:6 12:14 12:10 3:11 11:6 11:9). German women now stands in front of one harder hurdle named LI Jie from Netherlands.

Host Katarzyna GRZYBOWSKA reached the Round of 16 as she overcame SHAN Xiaona in five games.

A half Round of 16 participants are Europeans but three Top 8 places are already secured for the Old Continent because six out of them will play one against another: Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Germany) – Lubomir JANCARIK (Czech Republic) Marcos FREITAS (Portugal) – BAI He (Slovakia) Tomas KONECNY (Czech Republic) – Bastian STEGER (Germany). Other two are Robert FLORAS (Poland) and Joao GERALDO (Portugal) who will challenge the no. 2 seed Japanese Jun MIZUTANI.

Italian pair Marco RECH DALDOSSO / Niagol STOYANOV is unique European representative among the best four men`s doubles. Regarding women`s competition LI Jie (Netherlands) and LI Qian (Poland) managed to progress to the semi-final.