Liam Pitchford’s run at the Austrian Open was ended this morning by Germany’s Ruwen Filus.
The 22-year-old Chesterfield player had beaten Filus in the Bundesliga earlier this season, and looked to be continuing in that vein as he took the first 11-5. Filus levelled but Pitchford saved game points as he took the third 12-10.
But his experienced opponent pulled away to take the next three and go through to the last eight.
Pitchford, who was seeded 26 in the Men’s Singles, made his first appearance in the tournament as he defeated Poland’s world No 59 Daniel Gorak 4-1 in the last 64. He followed up with a 4-2 victory over Russia’s Grigory Vlasov (No 65).
Sam Walker & Danny Reed defeated the second seeds as they marched into the quarter-finals of the Men’s Doubles.
The pair won through three preliminary rounds in Wels to set up a clash against Youngsik Jung & Minseok Kim in the last 16. And the English pair twice came from a set down to force a decider, which they shaded 13-11.
Their run ended at the hands of German pair Patrick Franziska & Bastian Steger in the quarter-finals, despite winning the first set.
Reed had a good victory in the groups, against Serbian world No 135 Marko Jevtovic.
Walker also reached the quarter-finals of the Under-21 Men’s Singles, having beaten world No 143 Benjamin Brossier of France in the last 16. However, Alexandre Robinot struck back for France, winning the last-eight clash 3-2.
Results
Men’s Singles
Qualifying Group 38
Sam Walker bt Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon (THA) 4-3 (13-11, 11-5, 2-11, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5)
Jean-Michel Saive (BEL) bt Walker 4-2 (11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 14-12, 5-11, 11-3)
Qualifying Group 42
Yujia Zhai (DEN) bt Danny Reed 4-2 (10-12, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4)
Reed bt Marko Jevtovic (SRB) 4-1 (2-11, 11-3, 11-8, 13-11, 11-6)
Round of 64
Liam Pitchford bt Daniel Gorak (POL) 4-1 (12-10, 11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9)
Last 32
Pitchford bt Grigory Vlasov (RUS) 4-2 (8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-4, 11-3)
Last 16
Ruwen Filus (GER) bt Pitchford 4-2 (5-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9)
Under-21 Men’s Singles
Round of 32
Sam Walker bt Darko Jorgic (SLO) 3-2 (6-11, 11-6, 12-14, 11-7, 11-6)
Round of 16
Walker bt Benjamin Brossier (FRA) 3-0 (12-10, 12-10, 11-8)
Quarter-final
Alexandre Robinot (FRA) bt Walker 3-2 (5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5)
Men’s Doubles
First preliminary round
Danny Reed & Sam Walker bt Samuel Novota & Alexander Valuch (SVK) 3-1 (11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9)
Second preliminary round
Reed & Walker bt Marc Duran & Alvaro Robles (ESP) 3-2 (11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-8)
Third preliminary round
Reed & Walker bt Mihai Bobocica & Leonardo Mutti (ITA) 3-0 (11-8, 11-2, 11-6)
Round of 16
Reed & Walker bt Youngsik Jung & Minseok Kim (KOR) 3-2 (7-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-9, 13-11)
Quarter-finals
Patrick Franziska & Bastian Steger bt Reed & Walker 3-1 (5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5)