11 English were in action competing at the WTT Youth Contender Szombathely, Hungary, with each player taking part in both the Under-13 or Under-11 events. For the majority of those involved, including 10 of the 11 selected players, this will be their first experience of competing on the WTT stage.
This representation reflects the strong delivery and progress being made through the Performance Team across the England Futures and Development Squad and the National Performance Development Centre (PDC) network. All 11 athletes are currently part of the PDC structure, training at centres across the country:
- Ormesby PDC (North East): Jonti Barnes, Mindy Gao, Mila Gao
- Halton PDC (North West): Oliver Glowacki, Lok Hei Hayfield Lam, Jacob Dennison
- Draycott & Long Eaton PDC (Midlands): Sakinah Damji
- London PDCs: Lev Sahmurov, Lusio Wen, Isabella Xiao Xu
The event got underway with the Under-13 age category, which is a big task for the young contingent with most of the players competing in the younger Under-11 age categories later in the event and it was a tough start for the youngsters, with each losing their opening matches.
It was Halton TTC (North West PDC) and England number one rated Under-11 Lok Hei Hayfield Lam that recorded England’s first victory. Lam lost his first match against the group top seed, before toppling Csongor Halmai of the home country Hungary 3-1. However, despite the amazing result, the young rising star will not advance to the main draw, after losing his last match 3-1, meaning he lost out on countback by just one game, but will fight for more success in the Under-11 category.
Lusio Wen, the most experienced of all the selected players, already holding pivotal WTT experience under his belt, was the only player to qualify from the group stage in the U13 event. Lusio lost out 3-0 to second seed Jeffrey Wei of Germany, before defeating lower ranked opponent Azhar Raden of Malaysia in a nail-biting 3-2 comeback. After a BYE saw him advance to the last 32, it was Romania’s Mihai Iordan who came out on top of a five set thriller, ending the run of the Ellenborough youngster.
London’s Lev Sahmurov came close to getting a victory under his belt as he went down fighting 3-2 in. his second group match against Keane Ching of Singapore, Lev held the lead 2-1 before going down 11-6 in the fifth.
In the girl’s event, there were two players who were able to secure their first games in their opening matches despite recording opening losses. Isabella Xu was able to pick up her first end, as she battled Ioana Ionescu and lost out 3-1 (16-14, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10), before sadly losing out 3-0 to third seed Borbola Voss of the host nation. Sakinah Damji also took the very first end on her WTT debut, as she took on Slovakia’s Pia Kundih. Damji took the very first game 11-8, before losing the next three games. Mindy and Mila Gao also picked up their first games within the group stage but were unable to find their first match victory.
In the Under-11 events, the same 11 players were able to take part, and this time saw more success overall for the travelling England squad with 4 players all recording victories. With England’s Lusio Wen and Oliver Glowacki narrowly missing out on qualification to the main draw, who both finished third in their respective group stages with 2 wins each. Glowacki recording his first ever victories on the WTT stage, coming from 2-0 down to overcome Maksim Petko of Serbia followed by dispatching Li Zhicheng of Singapore 3-1.
There were also first victories for Lev Sahmurov and Mindy Gao who both got their first ever WTT wins, with an emphatic 3-0 scoreline. Sahmurov’s victory coming against Hungarian Ervin Lepp and Gao defeating Lizi Hollo also of Hungary, a huge achievement. Every single squad member picked up important games but was unable to close out their first match victories, with Jonti Barnes, Isabella Xu and Mila Gao all narrowly being on the losing side of a 3-2 scoreline.
You can follow results and stay up to date with the event by heading to the WTT website here.
Under-13 Boys
Qualifying group 2
Lusio Wen
Jeffrey Wei (GER) bt Lusio Wen 3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-4)
Lusio Wen bt Azhar Raden (MYS) 3-2 (5-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9)
Qualifying group 3
Jonti Barnes
Mihai Iordan (ROU) bt Jonti Barnes 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-2)
Johan Tran Von Der Ohe (FRA) bt Barnes 3-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-3)
Peter Kiss (HUN) bt Barnes 3-0 (11-6, 11-2, 11-2)
Qualifying group 6
Lev Sahmurov
Julian Luginger (AUT) bt Sahmurov 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-9)
Keane Ching (SGP) bt Sahmurov 3-2 (6-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6)
Taavi Samaraweera (LKA) bt Sahmurov 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 11-5)
Qualifying group 9
Jacob Dennison
Noah Lebrasseur (FRA) bt Dennison 3-0 (11-7, 11-1, 11-5)
Li Zhicheng (SGP) bt Dennison 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-9)
Erik Palos (HUN) bt Dennison 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-3)
Qualifying Group 12
Oliver Glowacki
Olaf Glanert (POL) bt Glowacki 3-0 (11-8, 11-1, 11-8)
Tommy Mayombo (FRA) bt Glowacki 3-0 (11-3, 11-3, 11-9)
Nathaniel Lim (SGP) bt Glowacki 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-8)
Qualifying Group 13
Lok Hei Hayfield Lam
Zalan Garnai (ROU) bt Lam 3-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-8)
Lam bt Csongor Halmai (HUN) 3-1 (11-9, 12-10, 11-13, 12-10)
Levi Natishanski bt Lam 3-1 (11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7)
Round of 32
Mihai Iordan (ROU) bt Lusio Wen 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4)
Under-13 Girls
Qualifying Group 3
Isabella Xu
Ioana Ionescu (ROU) bt Xu 3-1 (16-14, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10)
Borbola Vass bt Xu 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-9)
Qualifying Group 7
Mindy Gao
Adela Vasova (SVK) bt Gao 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 13-11)
Antonia Bratu (ROU) bt Gao 3-1 (11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9)
Racha Loghraibi (QAT) bt Gao 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-3)
Qualifying Group 11
Mila Gao
Kristin Tuve (GER) bt Mila Gao 3-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-3)
Dorotta Czako (HUN) Mila Gao 3-0 (11-3, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5)
Lulie Duchet (FRA) bt Gao 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-2)
Qualifying Group 12
Sakinah Damji
Pia Kundhi (SVK) bt Damji 3-1 (8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6)
Han Gayeon (KOR) bt Damji 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-5)
Ofek Nahushi (FIN) bt Damji 3-1 (10-12, 11-8, 11-5, 11-4)
Under-11 Boys
Qualifying group 1
Lev Sahmurov
Valentin Zittmayr (AUT) bt Sahmurov 3-1 (11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8)
Taavi Samaraweera (LKA) bt Sahmurov 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-0)
Azhar Raden (MAS) bt Sahmurov (11-9,11-6,12-10)
Sahmurov bt Ervin Lepp (HUN) 3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-8)
Qualifying group 2
Lusio Wen
Wen bt Marcell Marton (HUN) 3-0 (11-3, 11-2,13-11)
Jo Yijae (KOR) bt Wen 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-7)
Lavi Natishanski (FIN) bt Wen 3-2 (11-6, 11-4, 5-11, 5-11, 11-5)
Wen bt Cher Gerard (SGP) 3-2 (11-7, 12-10, 9-11, 11-13, 13-11)
Qualifying Group 3
Jonti Barnes
Kang Dohyun (KOR) bt Barnes 3-0 (11-2, 11-1, 11-8)
Adam Kedzierski (POL) bt Barnes 3-0 (11-3, 11-5, 11-7)
Pan Jiaze (SGP) bt Barnes 3-2 (9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6)
Peter Kiss (HUN) bt Barnes 3-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-9)
Qualifying Group 4
Lok Hei Hayfield Lam
Vladimir Filmon (ROU) bt Lam 3-0 (11-3, 11-2, 11-8)
Choi Yeonjun (KOR) bt Lam 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 13-11)
Vadym Lunehov (UKR) bt Lam 3-2 (8-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-5, 11-4)
Abel Nemes (HUN) bt Lam 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4)
Qualifying Group 6
Jacob Dennison
Csongor Halmai (HUN) bt Dennison 3-1 (11-6, 11-4, 5-11, 11-7)
Azhar Habib (MAS) bt Dennison 3-0 (11-3, 11-3, 11-6)
Seo Hyeongyu bt Dennison 3-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-4)
Nathaniel Lim (SGP) bt Dennison 3-0 (11-7, 11-1, 12-10)
Qualifying Group 7
Oliver Glowacki
Joo Eojin (KOR) bt Glowacki 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-3)
Denis Fonaruic (ROU) bt Glowacki 3-0 (13-11, 11-8, 11-5)
Glowacki bt Maksim Peto (SRB) 3-2 (4-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6)
Glowacki bt Li Zhicheng (SGP) 3-1 (11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10)
Under-11 Girls
Qualifying Group 1
Sakinah Damji
Emma Raffensperger (AUT) bt Damji 3-1 (11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10)
Racha Loghraibi (QAT) bt Damji 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-7)
Choi Sun (KOR) bt Damji 3-0 (11-1, 11-3, 11-5)
Qualifying group 2
Isabella Xu
Diana Burlacu (ROU) bt Xu 3-1 (12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8)
Adela Vaskova (SVK) bt Xu 3-1 (11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7)
Han Gayeon (KOR) bt Xu 3-0 (11-3, 11-6, 11-4)
Sara Komlosi (HUN) bt Xu 3-2 (4-11, 9-11, 18-16, 11-9, 11-5)
Qualifying Group 3
Mindy Gao
Choi Yeoon (KOR) bt Gao 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-3)
Gao bt Lizi Hollo (HUN) 3-0 (12-10, 11-5, 11-8)
Antonia Bratu (ROU) bt Gao 3-0 (11-7, 11-1, 11-8)
Qualifying Group 4
Mila Gao
Kriszta Ungvari (ROU) bt Gao 3-2 (5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8)
Kim Hajin (ROU) bt Gao 3-0 (11-5, 11-4, 11-6)
Sara Bumb bt Gao 3-1 (7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5)
Latest news
- Children and young people
Suppliers sought to support our work with Jack Petchey Foundation
- Coaching
Coaching creativity & control insights from legend Michael Maze
- Children and young people
