2018 Road to Buenos Aires 2018 YOG series – Africa
First day of the Road to Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Series – Africa tournament has been concluded by the wins of Azerbaijan`s YU Khinhang in the Men`s Singles and Slovakia`s Tatiana KUKULKOVA in the Women`s Singles. Tomorrow March 25th second knock-out tournament will provide two more tickets for Buenos Aires.
Both tournaments are staged in Rades the host city of just concluded 2018 Tunisia Junior and Cadet Open.
Two top seeds of the Men’s Singles event India’s Manav Vikash THAKKAR and Austria’s Maciej KOLODZIEJCZK were upset in the Round 2 by future finalists Singapore`s PANG Yee En Koen and Azerbaijan`s YU Khinhang respectively.
YU Khinhang prevailed against no. 2 seed Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK in five games of the Round 2 while in the semis he overcame Hungary`s Csaba ANDRAS 4:1 (7:11 11:8 11:3 11:5 11:5) to secure the final clash against PANG. YU needed five games against Singapore`s player to clinch the title.
Women`s no. 1 seed Serbia`s Sabina SURJAN the winner of the Junior Girls’ Singles at the Tunisia Junior and Cadet Open was upset by Slovakia`s Tatiana KUKULKOVA in the quarter-final stage. KUKULKOVA created one more upset in the semis by defeating no. 3 seed Croatia`s Andrea PAVLOVIC. Against SURJAN she reversed the score from 1:3 to 4:3.
Slovakia`s player overcame Italy`s Jamila LAURENTI in straight games of the final. LAURENTI beat Singapore`s ZHANG Wanling in five games of the semi-final.
Two places are available in each of the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events at the Road to Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Series – Africa tournament. Players must be born between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2003.
Men`s Singles
Semi-finals
PANG Yew En Koen (SGP) – Jose Pedro FRANCISCO (POR) 4:0 (11:8 11:7 13:11 11:7)
YU Khinhang (AZE) – Csaba ANDRAS (HUN) 4:1 (7:11 11:8 11:3 11:5 11:5)
Final
YU Khinhang (AZE) – PANG Yew En Koen (SGP) 4:1 (12:10 5:11 11:9 11:2 11:6)
Women`s Singles
Semi-finals
Tatiana KUKULKOVA (SVK) – Andrea PAVLOVIC (CRO) 4:2 (11:6 11:6 10:12 8:11 11:5 11:8)
Jamila LAURENTI (ITA) – ZHANG Wanling (SGP) 4:1 (11:5 11:5 5:11 13:11 11:7)
Final
Tatiana KUKULKOVA (SVK) – Jamila LAURENTI (ITA) 4:0 (11:9 11:9 11:6 11:6)
