Other Events | 12 Sep 2014

Belgium Open, Niagol STOYANOV beat OVTCHAROV!

Italian Niagol STOYANOV caused a sensation in the third round of the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Belgium Open in de Haan. The 27 year old, beat Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, the top seed and reigning European champion by the

Italian Niagol STOYANOV caused a sensation in the third round of the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Belgium Open in de Haan. The 27 year old, beat Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, the top seed and reigning European champion by the very narrowest of margins in a seven games thriller (11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 4-11, 11-9).

Niagol STOYANOV, the ninth seed, by emerging successful, books a place in the last eight of an ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles event for only the second time in his career. One year ago in September 2013, he reached the quarter-final stage in Belarus, losing the Japan’s Kohei SAMBE. Currently Niagol Stoyanov is listed at no.134 on the Men’s World Rankings, his best is no.131 earlier this year in May; his new best is October 2014!

Today he went one step further. In quarters Niagol overcame Alexandre CASSIN in six games. CASSIN’S progress to quarter was another big upset today. Alexandre CASSIN of France, the no.26 seed and reigning European Junior Champion, accounted for Ecuador’s Alberto MIÑO, the no.23 seed.

Mihai BOBOCICA, the no.4 seed, ended the adventures of qualifier, Korea’s KIM Doyub but lost his duel in quarters against Simon ARDVISSON of Sweden.

Georgina POTA of Hungary is the only European representative in the last four in Women’s Singles Event. In quarterfinal she was stretched to full distance against Bernadette SZOCS of Romania, but eventually prevailed.