Maria Tsaptsinos made it through to the main draw of the women’s singles at the ITTF Czech Open, and three English doubles pairings also won through the qualifying stage.
Tsaptsinos needed countback to make it through in Olomouc as all three players in the group finished with a victory apiece. The closeness of her defeat in five to Darya Vasilenka of Belarus proved crucial. She next faces ninth seed Audrey Zarif of France in the last 32.
If Tsaptsinos prevails in that match, and fifth seed Tin-Tin Ho beats Rebecca Muskantor of Sweden, the two English players will meet in the last 16.
The three other English women in the group stage went out, although Charlotte Bardsley, Emily Bolton and Denise Payet all posted one victory – Payet finishing second in her four-player group following a three-way countback behind the unbeaten group winner.
In the Men’s Singles, Sam Walker is seeded second and will begin his campaign in the last 32 against Snehit Suravajjula (WR 415) of India.
Ho & Tsaptsinos as a pair made it through the doubles qualifying rounds of the Women’s Doubles and will face the sixth seeds Christina Kallberg & Muskantor of Sweden. Payet & Bardsley are also through and meet the second-seeded Wegrzyn sisters from Poland in the last 16.
In the Mixed Doubles, Walker & Ho won their qualifying match to reach the main draw, where they will face sixth seeds Samuel Kaluzny & Ema Labosova of Slovakia in the last 16.
In the Men’s Doubles, Walker is partnering Sweden’s Truls Moregard, who won the singles at last week’s WTT Contender Budapest event. They are the top seeds and will face Aleksandr Tiutruimov & Sadi Ismailov of Russia in the round of 16.
Results
Women’s Singles
Group 4
Darya Vasilenka (BLR) bt Maria Tsaptsinos 3-2 (13-11, 11-7, 6-11, 3-11, 11-8)
Tsaptsinos bt Gabriela Stepanova (CZE) 3-1 (11-9, 5-11, 11-2, 11-4)
Group 6
Charlotte Bardsley bt Nikoleta Puchovanova (SVK) 3-0 (11-8, 14-12, 11-8)
Leila Imre (HUN) bt Bardsley 3-2 (11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 8-11, 11-5)
Group 8
Tessy Gonderinger (LUX) bt Emily Bolton 3-1 (12-10, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4)
Bolton bt Konstantina Paridi (GRE) 3-1 (4-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9)
Group 18
Denise Payet bt Jana Vasendova (CZE) 3-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-4)
Iolanta Yevtodii (UKR) bt Payet 3-2 (11-6, 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9)
Ema Labosova (SVK) bt Payet 3-0 (11-1, 15-13, 11-8)
Women’s Doubles
Qualifying round 1
Denise Payet & Charlotte Bardsley bt Anna Klempererova & Helena Sommerova (CZE) 3-1 (12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7)
Qualifying round 2
Tin-Tin Ho & Maria Tsaptsinos bt Nela Hanakova & Jana Vasendova (CZE) 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-7)
Payet & Bardsley bt Natalia Grigelova & Nikoleta Puchovanova (SVK) 3-2 (11-6, 8-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8)
Mixed Doubles
Qualifying round 1
Sam Walker & Tin-Tin Ho bt Zhenlong Liu & Anastasiya Radzionava (AUT) 3-1
Under-21 Women’s Singles
Round of 32
Vera Volkava (BLR) bt Denise Payet 3-1 (11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7)
Anna Wegrzyn (POL) bt Charlotte Bardsley 3-2 (3-11, 11-7, 11-3, 6-11, 12-10)