Postao/la sportikus » 27 tra 2012, 09:33
04/24/2012
Evo i sa ITTFa osvrt na Masterse gdje se spominje i Jopa!
Winner of the Junior Girls’ Singles title at the Italian Junior and Cadet Open earlier this year in March, Lea Rakovac enjoyed success once again, just over one month later.
The 16 year old won the Women’s Singles and Junior Girls’ Singles events at the Reno Vinek Masters tournament on Sunday 15th April 2012 in Malinska, a Croatian tourist resort on the Adriatic.
Organised by the Croatian Table Tennis Association, the word Reno Vinek Masters was held in memory of the late journalist Reno Vinek who for many years was a journalist with the newspaper Sportske Novosti: the newspaper being the sponsor of a competition for the elite of Croatian table tennis.
Qualification Events
Earlier four regional competitions had been staged, the use of the word “Masters” having no connection with the veteran events which often carry that name.
A total of 10 categories was organised each with a maximum of 16 players; several foreign clubs participated in addition to 153 players from 44 Croatian clubs being involved.
Finals
At the final hurdle of the Women’s Singles event, Lea Rakovac accounted for Ivana Tubikanec, a member of the Croatian team at the recent LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Dortmund.
Meanwhile in the Junior Girls’ Singles event the gold medal adversary was Mateja Jeger, another regular face on the ITTF Junior Circuit.
Player in Form
Two fine performances from Lea Rakovac but there was a moment of consternation in the final of the Junior Girls’ Singles event in opposition to Mateja Jeger.
She was a player in form. In the semi-finals she had beaten Ivana Tubikanec, the round in which Lea Rakovac had ousted Ida Jazbec.
Dramatic Game
It seemed that Mateja Jeger was on a very fast path the clinch the title.
She won the first game in the final against Lea Rakovac 11-3 and then led 10-3 in the second game only to lose that game 11-13!
It was the turning point in the contest, from that moment Lea Rakovac seized control.
Men’s Singles
Success in the Women’s Singles event for Lea Rakovac and in the counterpart Men’s Singles competition it was success for Miho Simovic; he won the title accounting for Filip Zeljko, Tomoslav Pucar, Filip Cipin and Josip Huzjak.
Cadet Events
Meanwhile, the cadet category saw Matej Murat win the Boys’ event beating Josip Arbanas in the final, with Luka Martinek and Fran Golob being the bronze medallists.
Success for Matej Murat in the Cadet Boys’ Singles competition; in the counterpart Cadet Girls’ Singles event it was victory for Dorina Srebrnjak with Klara Cakol being the runner up.
Young Age Group Events
Senior, junior and cadet events but one of the features of the tournament was the large number of events, especially those aimed at the younger age group.
Certainly in the youngest age group competition was intense as players born this century become more and more prominent on the international scene.
(left to right) The youngest medllists: Karlo Franjcec, Leon Santek, Filip Dekleva, Dijan Kucera
Photo by Cedomir Miler
Young Winners
Karlo Franjcec, Leon Santek were the respective winners and runners up in the Boys’ Singles event in the youngest age group with Filip Dekleva and Dijan Kucera being the bronze medallists.
A hard fought competition and it was the same for the girls where Vlatka Vrdoljak overcame Karla Franovic in the final. Ema Marn and Ivana Lesnicar were the bronze medal winners.
Presentations
The presentations were made by Zlatko Pospis, the HSTS Croatin President and Anton Spicijaric, the Mayor of Malinska.