Main draw places booked

Success earlier in the day, the lowest ranked players in their respective groups, the host nation’s Klara Cakol and Russia’s Ekaterina Chernyavskaya, alongside the Chinese Taipei’s duo of Tsai Yu-Chin and Huang Yi-Hua, duly completed their initial stage matches unbeaten and thus secured main draw places.

Tsai Yu-Chin concluded her itinerary by beating Audrey Zarif (11-5, 7-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8), Ekaterina Chernyavskaya by accounting for India’s Archana Girish Kamath (11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 7-11, 11-2). Similarly, Klara Cakol ended matters on a high note, she overcame Turkey’s Ozge Yilmaz (11-13, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5); rather differently Huang Yi-Hua gained a walk-over against Mexico’s Yadira Silva.

Needing good performance

The top name in her group, Norway’s Ilka Doval experienced a five games defeat at the hands of Ecuador’s Nathaly Paredes (11-7, 8-11, 11-13, 12-10, 11-5) but success in four games or better in her concluding group stage contest will secure first position and a main draw reservation.

Earlier in the day Russia’s Elizabet Abraamian had overcome Nathaly Paredes in four games (9-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-9).

Disappointment for Chile

Leading names in their respective groups, Chile’s Daniela Ortega and Judith Morales both experienced defeats. Daniela Ortega was beaten by Poland’s Julia Slasak (9-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-7); Judith Morales lost to Japan’s Mitsuho Kimura (11-6, 11-3, 11-8).

The door is now firmly closed for Judith Morales, having earlier lost to Croatia’s Marta Vukelic (8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8). However, first place for Daniela Ortega is possible if she can beat Lithuania’s Vitalija Venckute in three straight games in the concluding group contest; earlier in the day Vitalija Venckute overcame Julia Salazk in five games (6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5).

Positive starts for top three

Women’s Singles – Group Stage

The top three names on duty in the group qualification stage of the women’s singles event, all made successful starts.

Puerto Rico’s Melanie Diaz beat Sweden’s Caroline Tanska (15-13, 11-7, 11-2), Austria’s Karoline Mischek accounted for India’s Pooja Sahasrabudhe (11-5, 11-7, 11-5). Likewise, Aikaterini Toliou prevailed in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yi-Chiao (11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10).

Man of the moment

The nation’s Ivor Ban was undoubtedly the player of the day. Only 16 years old, the lowest ranked player in his group, after earlier in the day beating Belgium’s Laurens Devos (11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7), he accounted for Italy’s Marco Rech Daldosso (11-7, 11-9, 2-11, 13-11).

Success and first place in the group, the only player on the first day of action to achieve the feat.

Notable names experience defeat

Chile’s Gustavo Gomez and Ukraine’s Yaroslav Zhmudenko, alongside Russia’s Vildan Gadiev, Germany’s Denis Klein and Austria’s David Serdaroglu, leading names in their respective groups, all suffered defeats in the opening contests.

Gustavo Gomez was beaten by Spain’s Javier Benitez (10-12, 13-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-5), Yaroslav Zhmudenko lost to Germany’s Benno Oehme (13-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5); Vildan Gadiev suffered at the hands of India’s Jeet Chandra (11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10). Similarly it was defeat for Dennis Kein when facing Chile’s Nicolas Burgos (7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8) and for David Serdaroglu when facing Giorgos Konstantinopoulos of Greece (12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6).

However, all lost to players who in their opening rounds had suffered defeated; also none lost in straight games. Thus a convincing wins in their concluding group stage matches and first place in the group can still be attained.

Successful starts for principal names

The leading names on duty in the group stage of proceedings all made successful starts to their campaigns. Japan’s Yuki Hirano beat Italy’s Gabriele Piciulin (11-2, 11-7, 11-8), Chinese Taipei’s Peng Wang-Wei accounted for Chile’s David Valenzuela (11-3, 11-4, 11-9). Similarly in straight games, Poland’s Marek Badowski overcame India’s Siddesh Pande (11-8, 11-2, 11-6).

Comfortable wins, for the fourth highest rated on initial phase duty life was more exacting; Scotland’s Gavin Rumgay needed the full five games to beat Moldova’s Andrei Putuntica, only emerging successful by the minimal two point margin in the decider (11-13, 11-4, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9).

Surprise defeats

The leading names in their respective groups, as the second series of matches progressed in the group stage of the under 21 women’s singles event, there were surprising defeat for leading names.

Turkey’s Ozge Yilmaz was beaten by Sweden’s Christina Kallberg (8-11, 11-3, 13-11, 11-6), Russia’s Elizabet Abraamian lost to Slovenia’s Aleksandra Vovk (6-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5). Likewise, also from Sweden Erika Font suffered at the hands Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Yu-Chin (11-7, 11-6, 11-8), India’s Sreeja Akula experienced defeat when facing  Alma Roose (11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 13-11) similar to Christina Kallberg and Erika Front from Sweden.

Top secure top places

Chinese Taipei’s Su Pei-Ling, Japan’s Haruna Ojio and Russia’s Anastasia Kolish all completed their initial stage under 21 women’s singles group matches without defeat and thus in top spot.

Su Pei-Ling beat Thailand’s Jinnipa Sawettabut (12-10, 14-12, 11-5), Haruna Ojio accounted for Poland’s Julia Slazak (11-8, 11-4, 11-5); Anastasia Kolish overcame Elisavet Terpou of Greece (9-11, 11-7, 11-0, 11-5).

Ivor Ban once again shines

The host nation’s Ivor Ban, no under 21 men’s world ranking, was very much the player to shine as play progressed in the lower half of the draw in the under 21 men’s singles opening round; he beat Slovakia’s Adam Brat, the no.28 seed (11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8).

In addition both Germany’s Benno Oehme and Iran’s Amin Ahmadian upset the order of merit. Benno Oehme, the no.51 seed, accounted for Romania’s Paul Mladin, the no.32 seed (6-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9), Amin Ahmadian, the no.40 seed, ended the hopes of Russia’s Lev Katsman, the no.29 seed (11-9, 12-10, 12-10).

Takeru Kashiwa cause major upsets

Japan’s Takeru Kashiwa caused the biggest upset in the opening round of the under 21 men’s singles event; the no.41 seed, he beat Germany’s Nils Hohmeier, the no.6 seed (9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8).

Also, in top half of the draw there were surprise defeats for Moldova’s Andrei Putuntica, Austria’s Thomas Grininger and Kazakhstan’s Aidos Kenzhigukov. Andrei Putuntica, the no.12 seed, was beaten by Maciek Kolodziejczyk, the no.47 seed and also from Austria (12-10, 11-8, 11-4). Meanwhile, Thomas Grininger, the no.10 seed, lost to Russia’s Nikita Artemenko, the no.35 seed (11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 9-11, 11-7), Aidos Kenzhigukov, the no.31 seed, suffered at the hands of Poland’s Maciej Kubik (11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5).

Russians upset odds

The third rated players in the respective Russia’s Liubov Tentser and Ekaterina Chernyavskaya both made impressive starts to their campaigns by beating the players listed one place higher. Liubov Tentser beat India’s Selena Selvakumar (11-8, 1-11, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10), Ekaterina Chernyavskaya accounted for Slovenia’s Aleksandra Vovk (11-8, 12-10, 11-5).

Success against the odds for Russia but there was the exact reverse situation, Ekaterina Guseva was beaten by Poland’s Kinga Stefanska (11-5, 6-11, 11-2, 11-5).

 Tsai Yu-Chin once again impressive

Runner up in the under 21 women’s singles event last week in Slovenia, Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Yu-Chin once again impressed; she beat Croatia’s Petra Petek in three straight games (11-6, 11-6, 11-4).

Success against the odds for the 17 year old it was the same for 34 year old colleague, Huang Yi-Hua; likewise she caused the host nation more pain, she overcame Ida Jazbec (11-7, 11-13, 11-3, 11-7). Success for Chinese Taipei, there was also disappointment; Huang Hsin lost to Moumita Das in a tension packed contest. Moumita Das recovered from a two games to nil deficit to record victory by the very narrowest of five game margins (8-11, 8-11, 13-11, 12-10, 12-10).

Tsai Yu-Chin, Huang Yi-Hua and Moumita Das all started the day the lowest rated in their respective groups.

Depth of talent once again underlined

The ever increasing depth of talent amongst aspiring Japanese female players was once again underlined; Honami Nakamori and Kyoka Idesawa both caused upsets in their opening contests. Honami Nakamori beat India’s Sutirtha Mukherjee (11-9, 8-11, 10-12, 13-11, 11-4), Kyoka Idesawa accounted for Turkey’s Sibel Altinkaya (14-16, 11-6, 11-2, 11-8).

Presently on the women’s world rankings, Sutirtha Mukherjee is named at no.277, Honami Nakamori at no.545; meanwhile, Sibel Altinkaya stands at no.258, Kyoka Idesawa has no status.

Croatian quintet excels

A total of 30 groups in the initial stage, top spot plus two “Lucky Losers”, drawn at random from the second placed players, joining the 32 seeds in the main draw; there was plenty of reason for host nation celebration as play commenced in the group phase of the women’s singles event.

Andrea Pavlovic, Klara Cakol, Ivana Grgic and Marta Vukelic alongside Sara Susac, all the lowest rated players in their respective groups, caused opening match upsets.

Impressively, Andrea Pavlovic beat Konstantina Paridi of Greece (11-7, 11-5, 12-10), Klara Cakol accounted for Serbia’s Anelia Lupulesku (5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-14, 11-8); Ivana Grgic overcame Tanja Helle of the Netherlands (9-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8). Likewise, Marta Vukelic prevailed against Chile’s Judith Morales (8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8), Sara Susic gained the verdict in opposition to Denmark’s Stefanie Christensen (11-4, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6).

Host nation in form

The host nation’s Filip Zeljko and Ivor Ban were very much the players in form on the morning of the opening day of action in Zagreb.

Both the lowest rated in their respective groups; both upset the odds. Filip Zelkjo beat Slovenia’s Peter Hribar (11-3, 11-8, 11-4); Ivor Ban, only 16 year old, accounted for Belgium’s Laurens Devos (11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7).

Conversely, colleague Tomislav Kolarek suffered against Russia’s Ivan Nikulin (11-6, 11-6, 11-13, 11-6), Lithuania’s Rimas Lesiv experienced defeat at the hands of Ukraine’s Yuriy Nadolnyy (5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9). Similar to Filip Zeljko and Ivor Ban, both Ivan Nikulin and Yuriy Nadolnyy commenced play as the third and lowest ranked player in their respective groups.

Early surprises

Men’s Singles: Group Stage

A total of 41 groups in the initial stage of the men’s singles event; first place in group no.1 to group no.23 gaining a direct entry to join the 32 seeds the main draw; those in group no.24 to group no.41 being required to compete in a preliminary round, there were surprises as proceedings commenced.

The lowest ranked players in their respective groups, Italy’s Gabriele Piciulin and Ukraine’s Viktor Yefimov alongside Tian Ye of the United States and Russia’s Maxim Chaplygin all caused upsets. Gabriele Piciulin beat Roman’s Bogdan Singeorzan (11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8), Viktor Yefimov accounted for Portugal’s José Pedro Francisco (11-3, 11-5, 11-3). Similarly, Tian Ye defeated Slovakia’s Tibor Spanik (17-15, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10), Maxim Chaplygin overcame Austrai’s Narayan Kapolonek (10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-5).

Slovenia form maintained

Runner up last week in Slovenia, Russia’s Anastasia Kolish made the ideal start to her campaign in Zagreb. In her opening contest she accounted for the host nation’s Klara Bardac (11-2, 11-5, 11-8).

Similarly, amongst the leading names on initial phase duty there was success for Turkey’s Ozge Yilmaz; she beat Slovenia’s Lara Opeka (11-2, 11-9, 12-10). However, there were defeats for those who started the day as the leading name in their group. Sweden’s Erika Font lost to Turkey’s Ece Harac (11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9); India’s Sreeja Akula was beaten by Japan’s Kyoka Idesawa (11-7, 11-9, 11-9).

Leading names make successful start

Eight groups in the first stage of the under 21 women’s singles event, players finishing in first and second places in each advancing to join the 16 seeds in the first round, the leading names all made successful starts.

Chinese Taipei’s Su Pei-Ling beat Russia’s Anastasia Kolish (11-9, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9), Japan’s Haruna Ojio accounted for the host nation’s Andrea Pavlovic (11-4, 11-9, 11-6).