Liam Pitchford missed out 13-11 in a deciding sport to Dimitrij Ovtcharov on the WTT Contender Rio after each males had saved match factors.
The England No 1 seemed in good type in opposition to the world No 10 and third seed and scored 4 extra factors than his opponent over the course of the match.
It got here right down to tremendous margins, by no means extra so than on the ultimate level as an edge took Ovtcharov by way of to the final 16 together with his third 13-11 sport win of the match.
Pitchford had received the primary three factors of the match on his method to taking the primary sport 11-6 after which saved three sport factors within the second however couldn’t engineer an opportunity of his personal. He did get an opportunity at 10-9 within the third, however as soon as once more the German edged it 13-11.
Pitchford trailed the fourth 5-2, prompting a timeout and identical recommendation from John Murphy within the nook. It labored a deal with as Pitchford took seven factors in a row from 4-6 to 11-6 to stage the match.
Ovtcharov additionally had a begin within the decider, this time 6-1, however Pitchford once more labored his means again, levelling at 9-9 from 6-9 down. Ovtcharov was first to deliver up a match level, then it was Pitchford’s flip at 11-10.
Each have been saved after which got here Ovtcharov’s edge and a rueful look from Pitchford as he squatted down on his haunches for a few seconds earlier than the handshake – however he’ll know there have been positives to take.
Within the males’s doubles, Pitchford & Paul Drinkhall booked their place within the quarter-finals of the Males’s Doubles with a 12-10 within the fifth victory over Carlos Ishida & Guilherme Teodoro of the host nation.
The Brazilians twice got here from a sport right down to stage and, with the group behind them, introduced up a match level at 10-9 within the fifth.
The English pair saved that one and two factors later they’d received it as an outstanding retrieve by Pitchford swung into the physique of Ishida and prevented a clear return.
The double Commonwealth champions subsequent face high seeds Lim Jonghoon & An Jaehyun within the quarter-finals at 2.35pm UK time on Desk 2.
The earlier evening, Drinkhall and Tom Jarvis have been unable to affix Pitchford in the principle draw, although they saved eight match factors between them earlier than going out within the third and closing qualifying spherical.
Drinkhall confronted Germany’s Ricardo Walther, ranked 11 locations above him at No 70 on the earth and 4 successive factors from 5-5 broke the again of the primary sport for Walther. Drinkhall then received the primary three factors of the second sport however misplaced it 11-4 because the German took cost.
The subsequent two video games have been a lot nearer and Drinkhall bought himself again in it, saving three match factors (8-10 and 10-11) earlier than claiming the sport 14-12.
The fourth adopted a lot the identical sample and Drinkhall saved three extra match factors at 9-10, 10-11 and 11-12 however couldn’t this time engineer a sport level of his personal and was overwhelmed 14-12.
Jarvis was up in opposition to India’s Harmeet Desai (WR 63). an opponent he had twice overwhelmed. There was to be no repeat this time as Desai held the benefit all through.
He pulled away from 5-5 to take the primary and rapidly opened a spot within the second with a run of 5 factors from 3-2.
Jarvis fought laborious within the third however was all the time behind till he pulled stage at 8-8. Desai introduced up two match factors, which Jarvis saved, however the Indian then took the subsequent two factors to take the sport 12-10 and seal victory.
Outcomes
Males’s Singles
Spherical of 32
Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) bt Liam PItchford 3-2 (6-11, 13-11, 13-11, 6-11, 13-11)
Qualifying spherical 3
Ricardo Walther (GER) bt Paul Drinkhall 3-1 (11-6, 11-4, 12-14, 14-12)
Harmeet Desai (IND) bt Tom Jarvis 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 12-10)
Males’s Doubles
Spherical of 16
Liam Pitchford & Paul Drinkhall bt Carlos Ishida & Guilherme Teodoro (BRA) 3-2 (11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10)
