Croatia’s Zoran Primorac lost to Denmark’s Zhai Yujia in the second preliminary round of the men’s singles event at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open yesterday. Right: Qatar players at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram

By Sports Reporter/Doha

Three-time winner Croatia’s Zoran Primorac crashed out in the second preliminary round of the men’s singles event at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open yesterday.
The 45-year-old was beaten by Denmark’s Zhai Yujia, who had won the Under-21 event in Kuwait last week.
Primorac took three games to two lead before going down to the youngster 12-14, 11-5, 13-11, 9-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-2). “I still enjoy playing and Qatar is my favourite tournament. I like the atmosphere, the people, the weather, absolutely everything”, said Primorac. “I have very good memories of Qatar; I just wish I was a little younger!,” he added.
“Overall I’m pleased with how I played today. I practise in Zagreb four or five times a week at the National Training Centre”, Primorac said. “I love table tennis too much to give up!”
The enthusiasm may have refused to die down for Primorac, but his reflexes has surely slowed down. “I’m not used to playing against modern young players, he was good with the banana return of my service”, explained Primorac. “I think I must have made 10 to 15 mistakes returning that stroke; also I think I lost my focus when I was leading three-two.”
Meanwhile, Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi and Portugal’s Joao Monteiro, the two highest rated players in the first stage, emerged victorious in their second preliminary round matches. They are just win one away from qualifying for the main round matches, which will begin from tomorrow.
Tsuboi needed six games to overcome 16-year-old Alexandre Cassin, the reigning European Youth Junior boys’ singles champion 8-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3, 11-13, 11-4. Monteiro too was stretched to seven games by 19-year-old Alexandre Robinot before prevailing 7-11, 11-5, 13-15, 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7.
Currently, Cassin stands at no. 163 on the World Ranking list, as opposed to Tsuboi’s no. 44. Likewise
Monteiro is ranked no. 49 to Robinot’s no. 154.
“It’s the first time I’ve played him, he’s not physically strong but when he plays close to the table he is very difficult to beat”, explained João Monteiro. “If I could force him back from the table, I felt I could win but he times the ball early, so it was very difficult for me to find a rhythm; also, he was under no pressure, he was relaxed, it was a hard fight.”
Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro suffered defeat at the hands of Frenchman Stéphane Ouaiche 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7, while Cazuo Matsumoto was beaten by Romain Lorentz 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9. Also Hugo Calderano went down to Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.
Meanwhile, for the other leading names on duty in the first stage of the singles event, it was success but a hard fought one. Germany’s Patrick Franziska needed full seven games to beat Singapore’s Yang Zi 8-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8; while Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi required five games to overcome Frenchman, Quentin Robinot 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8.
England’s Liam Pitchford beat Belgium’s Cédric Nuytinck (11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7), Korea’s Jeong Sangeun overcame Frenchman Benjamin Brossier (9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-3); while Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Hung Tzu-Hsiang 11-6, 11-4, 4-11, 10-12, 11-3, 11-8.
India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta ended the hopes of Denmark’s Kasper Sternberg 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6. Sweden’s Jörgen Persson was beaten by Korea’s Kang Dongsoo 11-9, 11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 5-11, 11-9; Croatia’s Zoran Primorac suffered defeat at the hands of Denmark’s Zhai Yujia (12-12, 11-5, 13-11, 9-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-2.



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