Other Events | 12 Nov 2019
All-German clash in Preliminary Round 3: SOLJA vs. SHAN
Photo: Courtesy ITTF
2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum, bet-at-home.com Austrian Open, Linz, 12-17 November
The 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum, bet-at-home.com Austrian Open, Linz, has commenced by Preliminary Round 1 in singles events. The opening day of the latest World Tour event in the season, November 12, was concluded by Preliminary Round 2.
Women’s Preliminary Round 2 saw five wins of German players and four of Russian representatives. Germany’s Petrissa SOLJA, top seed in the Preliminary stage, beat Czech Republic’s Karin ADAMKOVA in straight games, while SHAN Xiaona did likewise against Hungary’s Leonie HARTBRICH. Two teammates from German National Team will face each other in the next round.
No.2 seed Elizabeta SAMARA of Romania defeated Serbia’s Dragana VIGNJEVIC in six games. Actual European champion LI Qian of Poland overcame Japan’s Chiaki KATO in five games, while her compatriot Natalia BAJOR prevailed against France’s Marie MIGOT in one of the most exciting clashes of the Preliminary Round 2. MIGOT led 3:1, after 18:16 in the fourth set, but BAJOR responded by three games in a row.
All four Russia’s players progressed in the Preliminary Round 3: Polina MIKHAILOVA, Yana NOSKOVA, Mariia TAILAKOVA and Valeria SHCHERBATYKH. Germany will have five its representatives in the upcoming stage, as Nina MITTELHAM, HAN Ying and WAN Yuan joined SHAN and SOLJA.
Korea’s CHOI Hyojoo prevented all-Netherlands clash between LI Jiao and LI Jie, as she eliminated LI Jiao.
No.2 seed Englishman Liam PITCHFORD justified his status in the Men’s Preliminary Round 2, as he beat host nation’s Andreas LEVENKO in straight games. Poland’s Jakub DYJAS overcame Korea’s KANG Dangsoo in five games to set clash with Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS who prevailed against Italia’s Daniele PINTO in straight games.
Sweden’s Truls MOREGARD was extended to full distance by Belgium’s Robin DEVOS, Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC beat Korea’s YANG Heng-Wei, Italy’s Leonardo MUTTI defeated Romania’s Cristian PLETEA after six games, Denmark’s Jonathan GROTH recorded fast win against Turkey’s Abdullah YIGENLER…
Sweden’s Anton KALLBERG defeated Belgium’s Laurens DEVOS in straight games to set up clash with his teammate from Borussia Dusseldorf, Egypt’s Omar ASSAR.
Some more well-known European names progressed into Round 3, and among them are: Simon GAUZY (France), Tiago APOLONIA (Portugal), Andrej GACINA (Croatia), Alexander SHIBAEV (Russia), Ovidiu IONESCU (Romania), Cedric NUYTINCK (Belgium), Panagiotis GIONIS (Greece), Kristian KARLSSON (Sweden), Stefan FEGERL (Austria), Paul DRINKHALL (England)…
