Jann Nayre and Rose Jean Fadol moved a step closer to gaining an Olympic berth after sweeping their respective matches in the Tokyo 2020 TTE: World Singles Qualification Tournament 1, Sunday at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena in Doha, Qatar.
All in all, there are nine places at the stake in this qualification tournament — four for the men’s singles and five for the women’s singles events of the quadrennial meet, respectively.
Nayre moved into the quarterfinals of the first bracket in the men’s side after punching two contrasting victories.
The 2018 Youth Olympian was impressive in his first match against Latvia’s Denis Kogans after a smashing four-set win, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-2. He then followed it up with a marathon 7-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9 come-from-behind win over Lubomir Pistej of Slovenia.
On the other hand, Rose Jean Fadol dealt World No. 71 Debora Vivarelli with an upset to move into the semifinal of bracket two.
The Far Eastern University product took the first three games at 11-6, 11-9, 11-9. The Italian Olympian then leveled the match 11,7, 11-5, 11-8. In the tight final game, the Filipina won it 11-9 to avert the meltdown.
Fadol earlier swept hometown bet Aia Mohamed, 11-6, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5, to set up that showdown with Vivarelli.
The two other Filipino entries were not as fortunate. Former UAAP MVP John Russel Misal and La Salle upstart Jannah Romero both ended their respective campaigns in this tournament.
Misal could not capitalize on his free pass into the Round of 16 of KO2. He bowed out against Hungary’s Bence Majoros, 5-11, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 7-11. The National University product earlier took the walkover win against Morocco’s Salim Karam.
The 19-year-old Romero fought hard but eventually absorbed a loss against Serbia’s Sabina Surjan, 8-11, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 4-11.
Nayre is taking on Italy’s Niagol Stoyanov, while Fadol is facing Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska, in their respective next matches. Both look to send themselves into the Games later this year as they continue to climb the bracket, with action pushing through again on Monday.
