Kristian KARLSSON from Sweden beat all odds to defeat Dimitrij OVTCHAROV in the Round of 16 while in the quarter-final he overcame Simon GAUZY. Both German players lost in front of their fans in Saarbrucken
After Day 2 of the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF Men`s World Cup in Saarbrucken Sweden`s Kristian KARLSSON is unique European player in the semi-finals which will be held on Monday October 3rd. Today he beat both Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Simon GAUZY to set the clash with the top seeded FAN Zhendong beside his compatriot XU Xin hot favorite for the title.
Dima OVTCHAROV was considered as main threat to Chinese duo but he lost to Swede in five games at the beginning of the main draw. KARLSSON lost opening set but fully controlled next three and after all took the fifth game very intense and close.
One of the most exciting Round of 16 matches was one between Simon GAUZY and Bastian STEGER. Frenchman beat second host player after full seven games (last two he won by a narrow margin). In one more all-European clash Par GERELL from Sweden eliminated Portugal`s Tiago APOLONIA in five sets. Triple champion Vladimir SAMSONOV from Byelorussia lost to Korean LEE Sangsu which compatriot JEOUNG Youngsik overcame Austrian Stefan FEGERL.
Two top seeds were confident in the quarter-finals: last year`s runner-up FAN Zhendong beat JEOUNG Youngsik in five games while XU Xin was better than Par GERELL. Kristian KARLSSON and Simon GAUZY showed impressive skills in the seven-game long thriller as Swede won 4:3 (5:11 11:8 11:4 10:12 11:7 8:11 12:10). Frenchman played 14 sets in total in five hours.
Round of 16
FAN Zhendong (CHN) – GAO Ning (SGP) 4:0 (11:3 11:3 11:6 11:3)
Stefan FEGERL (AUT) – JEOUNG Youngsik (KOR) 2:4 (6:11 9:11 3:11 13:11 11:7 13:15)
Simon GAUZY (FRA) – Bastian STEGER (GER) 4:3 (11:3 14:16 15:13 3:11 8:11 12:10 12:10)
Kristian KARLSSON (SWE) – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) 4:1 (6:11 11:7 11:5 11:5 13:11)
WONG Chun Ting (HKG) – Joao MONTEIRO (POR) 4:2 (11:9 7:11 11:6 11:5 3:11 11:4)
LEE Sangsu (KOR) – Vladimir SAMSONOV (BLR) 4:1 (11:9 7:11 12:10 16:14 11:6)
Tiago APOLONIA (POR) – Par GERELL (SWE) 1:4 (8:11 12:10 9:11 9:11 4:11)
Hugo CALDERANO (BRA) – XU Xin (CHN) 0:4 (8:11 5:11 6:11 7:11)
Quarter-finals
FAN Zhendong (CHN) – JEOUNG Youngsik (KOR) 4:1 (6:11 11:5 11:9 12:10 11:9)
Simon GAUZY (FRA) – Kristian KARLSSON (SWE) 3:4 (11:5 8:11 4:11 12:10 7:11 11:8 10:12)
WONG Chun Ting (HKG) – LEE Sangsu (KOR) 4:0 (11:9 11:5 11:7 11:5)
Par GERELL (SWE) – XU Xin (CHN) 1:4 (11:7 7:11 8:11 4:11 7:11)
Semi-finals (October 3rd)
FAN Zhendong (CHN) – Kristian KARLSSON (SWE) 11:00
WONG Chun Ting (HKG) – XU Xin (CHN) 11:45
