Germans keep European hopes alive in the SL3-4 Mens Doubles at the Para World Championships!
Jan Niklas-Pott & Pascal Wolter of Germany managed to cling on to the lead at the end of a tense and nail-biting 3rd game in the Round-16 of the SL3-4 Mens Doubles today in Ulsan.
The German ¾ seeds went down 19-21 in the opening game against Pham Duc Trung & Pham Van Tan from Vietnam. Conditions were difficult, and the match was scrappy at times. Still, Jan was able to produce some of the skill and flare which he is known for and Pascal was solid in defence and attack. They took the second game 21-17 and the crowd was enthralled with the final game which went right down to the wire. The German pair roared with delight and embraced at the 22-20 victory which puts them into the quarter final tomorrow to face Chawarat Kitichokwattana (THA) & Kumar Umesh Vikram (IND) – the winners of that match guaranteed at least a bronze medal.
Still aiming for Gold, Lucas Mazur (FRA) faces Siripong Teamarrom (THA) in the SL4 Mens Singles Quarter Final, and Mazur with partner Faustine Noelle will go up against the new Chinese pair of Yang Jianyuan & Yang Qiuxia in the SL3-SU5 Mixed Doubles quarter finals.
Jack Shephard and Krysten Coombs of England still each have their sights on SS6 Mens Singles Gold this week, through to quarter finals against Chu Man Kai (HKG) and Fabien Morat (FRA) respectively. The Englishmen also look strong together in Mens Doubles having already secured a semi-final berth which guarantees them a medal.
Rachel Choong (ENG) has so far played 12 full games across singles, doubles (with Rebecca Bedford) and mixed (with Andrew Martin) this week. Only on 3 occasions have opponents managed to reach double-figures with a game score. The triple World Champion still aiming to make history with back-to-back triple crowns!
Medal contention still very much a possibility for Karin Suter-Erath and Thomas Wandschneider in the WH1 singles categories. Bart Mroz and Catherine Rosengren in SU5 singles. Helle Sofie Sagoy and Katrin Siebert in SL4. And if we are lucky, we might pick up one or two more surprise medals elsewhere.
Watch this space, and keep in touch with all of the action on tournament software