Slovenia Open: POTA invincible in both routes

April 29, 2017
10:03 pm
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Hungary`s player reached Women`s Singles semi-final and Women`s Doubles final at 2017 ITTF Challenge Slovenia Open in the city of Otocec

Best ranked Hungary`s player Georgina POTA had very successful penultimate day of the 2017 ITTF Challenge Slovenia Open in the city of Otocec. World No. 30 reached Women`s Singles semi-final and Women`s Doubles final playing alongside Sweden`s Matilda EKHOLM. This pair clinched gold at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour India Open two months ago.

Women`s Singles Round of 16 brought several interesting clashes. Second seeded Matilda EKHOLM lost to Linz`s player ZHANG Mo from Canada in five games. The 2015 individual European champion Elizabeta SAMARA lost to Chinese Taipei`s CHENG Hsien-Tzu 4:1 (11:9 11:7 6:11 13:11 11:3) while Netherland`s Britt EERLAND prevailed against Thailand`s Suthasini SAWETTABUT after full seven games 4:3 (11:9 17:15 11:9 7:11 5:11 7:11 11:7). Georgina POTA beat Puerto Rico`s Adriana DIAZ in straight games.

In the quarter-final stage Britt EERLAND suffered at the hands of CHENG Hsien-Tzu (TPE) who reversed the score from 2:3 to 4:3. POTA defeated Korea`s PARK Joohyun 4:2 (13:15 11:7 11:8 11:4 9:11 11:6). Two Japan`s players No. 1 and No. 3 seeds Hitomi SATO (World No. 9) and Honoka HASHIMOTO (No. 22) also reached semifinal spots. Semi-final pairs are: Hitomi SATO – CHENG Hsien-Tzu Georgina POTA – Honoka HASHIMOTO.

Concerning Men`s Singles event Bastian STEGER set all-German semi-final against his much younger compatriot Kilian ORT. Member of bronze-winning Germany team last summer in 2016 Rio Olympics STEGER plays his first international tournament after six month break due to injury. He had a very hard task in the Round of 16 playing full seven games against Kazuhiro YOSHIMURA 4:3 (12:10 11:5 14:12 6:11 3:11 7:11 11:9). Other semi-final game will confront Sweden`s Jon PERSSON and Czech Republic`s Tomas TREGLER who managed to recover after 0:2 against Russia`s Alexey LIVENTSOV.

Hungary`s Nandor ECSEKI and Adam SZUDI secured their place in the final game in the Men`s Doubles as they beat Iran`s Nima ALAMIAN and Noshad ALAMIYAN 3:2 (11:8 7:11 8:11 11:6 11:7). Other finalists are Korea`s CHOI Wonjin and LEE Jungwoo who eliminated Sweden`s Jens LUNDQVIST and Jon PERSSON in four games.

Two European pairs will fight for the gold in the Women`s Doubles event. Elizabeta SAMARA (ROU) and Renata STRBIKOVA (CZE) overcame Honoka HASHIMOTO/Hitomi SATO from Japan 3:1 (11:9 11:13 11:8 11:8) while Matilda EKHOLM and Georgina POTA beat Germany`s Chantal MANTZ/WAN Yuan 3:0 (11:7 11:7 11:4).

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