Final of Three Days Earlier Repeated, Adriana Diaz Complete Double
2015 Croatia Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Junior Circuit
Courtesy of ITTF
September 20, 2015 – Winner of the Junior Girls’ Singles title some three days earlier, Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz repeated the success to secure the Cadet Girls’ Singles crown in the concluding day of action, Sunday September 20th, at the 2015 Croatia Junior and Cadet Open.
Once again the adversary in the final was Romania’s Andreea Dragomann, who the previous day in the Junior Girls’ Team event had emerged successful against the Puerto Rican; however, she was not able to repeat the victory.
In the Junior Girls’ Singles final, Adriana Diaz had surrendered just one game in beating Andreea Dragomann (11-9, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9). In the final of the Cadet Girls’ Singles event she was stretched the full five games distance (11-7, 5-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8); a contest that once again saw the top seed prevail against the second seed.
Earlier Rounds
Earlier in the proceedings, in the latter stages, Adriana Diaz had beaten the Slovak Republic’s Ema Labosova, the no.9 seed, in the quarterfinals (11-8, 11-3, 11-6), before recording a semi-final win in opposition to Russia’s Elina Rub, the no.6 seed (4-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-8).
“I’m a very happy because this is my last year in the cadets; of course I’m very happy to have won both Junior Girls’ Singles and Cadet Girls’ Singles titles here in Varazdin”, said Adriana Diaz. “Today, the final was a very tough match; Andreea is excellent player and she played well, very well; when I was two-one down I thought I could not win but obviously I was wrong!”
Impressive Performances
Good form en route to the final for Adriana Diaz, it was the same for Andreea Dragomann.
At the same stages, she overcame Russia’s Kristina Kazantseva, the no.5 seed (11-5, 11-7, 11-9), before ending the hopes of India’s Archana Girish Kamath, the no.3 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-3).
Three Titles
Two titles for Adriana Diaz, it was three for Russia’s Lev Katsman.
One day earlier, he had won the Cadet Boys’ Team event in partnership with Maksim Grebnev. On the concluding day of action he secured the Cadet Boys’ Doubles title, once again with Maksim Grebnev, the duo beating Hungary’s Patrik Juhasz and Norbert Terek in the final (11-6, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8), before being crowned Cadet Boys’ Singles champion.
Cadet Boys’ Singles
The no.2 seed, at the final hurdle Lev Katsman accounted for Canada’s Jeremy Hazin, the top seed by the very narrowest of margins (7-11, 11-3, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9), having at the quarter-final stage beaten Montenegro’s Filip Radovic, the no.5 seed (11-3, 11-5, 11-7) and, in the penultimate round, Poland’s Kamil Dziadek, the no.12 seed (11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4).
In the opposite half of the draw, in the latter stages, Jeremy Hazin accounted for Romania’s Mihai Nemaciuc (11-2, 11-8, 13-11), prior to reserving his place in the final, courtesy of success against Poland’s Samuel Kulczychi, the no.13 seed (11-9, 11-7, 11-7).
“I am delighted what more can I say; today I won two trophies”, said Lev Katsman. “It’s the first time I have won a tournament with Maksim, I think we played very well the whole tournament, safe, relaxed but focused.”
Slovenian Repeat Team Success
Success for Lev Katsman and Maksim Grebnev in both the Cadet Boys’ Team and Cadet Boys’ Doubles events; in the counterpart Cadet Girls’ Team and Cadet Girls’ Doubles competitions, it was the same for the Slovenian pairing of Katarina Strasar and Aleksadra Vovk.
The previous day it had been gold in the Cadet Girls’ Team event when beating Russia’s Daria Azarenkova and Ekaterina Bespalova; on the concluding day the medal was the same color; once again the Russian duo having to settle for runners up spot.
Katarina Strasar and Aleksadra Vovk secured victory in four games (9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9).
Saved the Day
“After we lost the first game I was having problems but Alexandra saved us”, said Katarina Strasar.
“Today I might be me, tomorrow will be Katarina; it does not matter when and where, the main thing is that we won”, stressed Aleksadra Vovk. “We are always together, when we lose and when we win; here we won our first and hopefully not our last tournaments together.”
Next Stop Chinese Taipei
Proceedings concluded in Varadin, the next stop on the ITTF Junior Circuit is Taipei City; the Chinese Taipei Junior and Cadet Open commences on Wednesday September 23rd.
Visit the official site of the ITTF 2015 Croatia Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Junior Circuit for full results.
