2016 ITTF World Tour Slovenia Open in Otocec
Japan’s Jun MIZUTANI the top seed he justified his exalted position in the competition by winning the Men’s Singles title at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Slovenia Open in Otocec.
At the semi-final stage he beat Korea’s JOO Saehyuk the no.6 seed by the minimum two point margin in the deciding game (11-4 7-11 11-13 9-11 11-6 11-7 14-12) before recording a very similar success in the final. Jun accounted for Chinese Taipei’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan the no.2 seed (11-9 5-11 8-11 11-3 10-12 11-6 11-9) to claim the top prize.
Singapore’s FENG Tianwei won the Women’s Singles title. At the final hurdle occupying the second seeded position in the draw she accounted for Korea’s JEON Jihee the no.5 seed to secure the top prize in a hard fought six games contest (11-9 8-11 10-12 11-3 11-5 11-8).
Top seeds Portugal’s Joao GERALDO and Hitomi SATO duly justified their billing to win the respective Under 21 Men’s Singles and Under 21 Women’s Singles titles. At the final hurdle Joao GERALDO beat Frenchman Alexandre ROBINOT the no.5 seed (4-11 11-8 11-3 11-8); Hitomi SATO overcame colleague Yui HAMAMOTO the no.4 seed (11-6 11-5 13-11).
Runners up the previous week in Zagreb the same fate befell the Korean combination of JEOUNG Youngsik and LEE Sangsu. Once again the top seeds they were beaten at the final hurdle by the second seeded Hong Kong combination of HO Kwan Kit and WONG Chun Ting (11-7 11-9 11-5).
The Russian combination of Maria DOLGIKH and Polona MIKHAILOVA emerged as the surprise winners of the Women’s Doubles event. Occupying the fourth seeded position in the competition they withstood a spirited recovery by the top seeded Korean combination of JEON Jihee and YANG Haeun (11-9 11-9 7-11 6-11 11-6).
