Today, 01/14, Alexandros Madesis achieved a good placement in the positions 17-32 of the Under 19 age category in the final of the Austrian World Table Tennis Youth Contender.
In the powerful tournament, hosted over four days, in the city of Leeds, he started the board victoriously and was eliminated in the 2nd round by the 2nd favorite. We remind you that Giorgos Gerakios, who was eliminated in the groups, competed in the same Youth Contender and in the same category, while they had their AEK coach Costas Madesis for technical guidance. Also today, Qatar’s men’s-women’s WTT Contender premiered in Doha. Panagiotis Gionis and Elisavet Terpou had victories in the qualifiers and will continue their effort tomorrow 15/01, while Konstantinos Angelakis was defeated in five sets in a very strong match for the 2nd qualifying round. Gionis and Angelakis compete tomorrow Monday in the doubles qualifiers, not all of them have the national federal men’s coach Costas Vatsaklis in their instructions.
At the end of tomorrow, a large Greek delegation leaves for Turkey and the second successive European Youth Contender of 2024. The teenagers Stathis Manolopoulos (OEA Rethymnon), Giorgos Kosmas (DAO Tavros) are going to Antalya and will compete in the period 16-19/01. the juniors Kostas Fakaros (Phoenix Agia Sophia Piraeus), Konstantinos Toulias (AS Proodos Voutza Rafina) and the juniors Mavra Kontopoulou and Alkistis Kasimi (PKD Tavrou). In the technical guidance will be the Balkan champion and as a coach Konstantinos Kostopoulos (responsible for Kosmas and the two girls) and Konstantinos Karamandzianis from the staff of Athena Magoufanas (he took charge of the remaining three boys).
Madesis had qualified on Saturday in the 1st round of the Under 19 with the 2nd place from the 28th group in the established open of young ages of Austria. In the 1st round he faced in the morning the Swiss Numa Ulris, who was 2nd in the 13th group. He took a substantial lead with a 2-0 set, but the opponent fought back and equalized. In the decisive “against” set, the current 2nd Balkan champion of the youth team overcame his setbacks and won 3-2 sets (13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 4-11, 11-3).
In “32” he was up against the German Andre Bertelsmeier, who was at the base of the board (he had won earlier in the 2nd group after a three-way tie). The match was more difficult, Madesis could not do his tactics and was eliminated with 3-0 sets (6-11, 6-11, 6-11). Entering positions 17-32 will also have a points advantage in the world ranking.
In the meantime, it was a good start for the Greek colors at the WTT Contender in Qatar. Gionis (number 124 in the world) was directly in the 2nd qualifying round of men’s singles and there he had no pressure from Iran’s Nima Alamian (No. 208). He prevailed with a 3-0 set, taking advantage of his opponent’s weaknesses in defense (11-7, 11-4, 11-5) and tomorrow in the round of 32 he faces Manus Utpalbey Shah from India. The latter prevailed 3-2 sets in an inconclusive match against the Austrian Robert Gardos. At 14:55 the match starts on table 4. A total of four rounds make the qualifiers.
In the same event, Angelakis (No. 325) also found himself with a bye in the 2nd qualifying round. He had a difficult task against Chan Baldwin from Hong Kong (No. 143), he made a great effort, until he was down 3-2. He lost the first two sets, “responded” with improved defense and effective attacks and was eliminated in the details of the 5th set (7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11).
In women’s singles, Terpou started from the 1st qualifying round. She was far superior to Qatar’s Fauzia Melki, played with due care and seriousness and won comfortably 3-0 sets (11-3, 11-2, 11-4). As he already knew on the second day of the Contender he meets the very remarkable Dora Madaras from Hungary. At 15:30 the match on table 2.
The men’s doubles qualifiers start tomorrow 15/01. Gionis and Angelakis, 2nd last month in the Italian WTT Feeder, have to face at 12:00 (table 2) the Iranians Amir Hossein Khodai/Navid Shams. If they win and go to the decisive 2nd round, then they will meet the pair who will prevail at the top of the table and the Manous Utpalbey Shah/Senhit Souravajula (India)-Mehdi Boulousa/Ibrahima Diaw (Algeria/Senegal) match.
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