Other Events | 13 Dec 2014

Europe’s trio in the Grand Finals semis

In the semi-final stage of the Men’s Singles Event at the US$ 1,000,000 GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, Dimitrij OVTCHAROV will play against TANG Peng; in the opposite half of the draw Japan’s Jun MIZUTANI will face Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS.

In the semi-final stage of the Men’s Singles Event at the US$ 1,000,000 GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, Dimitrij OVTCHAROV will play against TANG Peng; in the opposite half of the draw Japan’s Jun MIZUTANI will face Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS.

OVTCHAROV succeeded against CHUANG Chih-Yuan in the thrilling seven games quarterfinal duel. In the decisive seventh game, Dimitrij OVTCHAROV led 5-4 at the change of ends; CHUANG Chih-Yuan recovered to level at 6-all and promptly called “Time Out”. He won the next two points to lead 8-6 before Dimitrij OVTCHAROV secured the next four points to hold two match points at 10-8. CHUANG Chih-Yuan saved the first, not the second when a forehand top spin finished in the base of the net.

“The result could have gone either way; one point at any stage could have made all the difference”, said Dimitrij OVTCHAROV. “We both changed out tactics several times during the match; it’s always a great fight between us, although usually I have managed to win, CHUANG Chih-Yuan is a good friend, it was a great match.”

Marcos FREITAS won the first two games against Koki NIWA; he lost the third but then established a 7-6 lead in the fourth. Koki NIWA called “Time Out”, a break that was to prove fruitful, he progressed to win the win the game, being the more positive of the two players. Arguably, Marcos FREITAS was relying too much on his blocking skills and area of his play where he was experiencing problem. Matters level, in the fifth game, Marcos FREITAS established a 10-7 lead, he lost the next two points and duly called “Time Out”; a prudent move, he won the next point.

Three games to two ahead, in the sixth game once again Marcos FREITAS led 10-7, again the next two points went to Koki NIWA. The Portuguese star was pinned against the ropes, he fought and turned disadvantage to advantage; the point of the day bought FREITAS a semi-final place.

Semi-finalist in the Women’s World Cup in the Austrian city of Linz earlier this year, Hungary’s Georgina POTA was once again in outstanding form on the evening of Saturday. At the quarter-final stage of the Women’s Singles event she booked her place in the penultimate round to match the achievement of some two months earlier.

Occupying the no.10 seeded position in the competition, Georgina POTA beat Portugal’s YU Fu, the no.15 seed, in five games.