Furthermore, they were not alone.

Men’s Singles

…………Frenchman Mehdi Bouloussa caused the biggest upset of the day; he beat Jonathan Groth in seven games (14-12, 18-16, 11-7, 3-11, 8-11, 6-11, 11-8).

…………Romania’s Alexandru Cazacu caused a major surprise; he accounted for Portugal’s Marcos Freitas (11-9, 13-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6).

…………One year absent from the international scene, Frenchman Alexandre Cassin returned in style. He beat Hong Kong’s Kwan Man Ho (11-6, 11-3, 5-11, 12-10, 11-6) and then caused a major surprise by overcoming India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (11-6, 11-3, 5-11, 12-10, 11-6).

…………High hopes were held for the host nation’s Truls Moregard but it was farewell; he was beaten by Serbia’s Aleksandar Karakasevic (11-9, 12-10, 14-12, 7-11, 11-4).

…………Japan’s 12 year Sora Matsushima stole the show; after beating Russia’s Lev Katsman (11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9) to record his first ever ITTF World Tour win, he experienced defeat at the hands of Austria’s Andreas Levenko (11-6, 16-14, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9).

Women’s Singles

…………Bernadette Szocs experienced defeat in her opening contest; she lost to Monaco’s Yang Xiaoxin (12-14, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8).

…………Austria’s Yui Hamamoto caused a surprise by beating Singapore’s Lin Ye (11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8), before maintaining her form to overcome Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin (12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8).

…………Yuan Jian Nan of France was very much a player in form. She Portugal’s Fu Yu, the winner earlier this year at the European Games (10-12, 11-8, 14-12, 11-9, 11-8), prior to ousting the Czech Republic’s Karin Adamkova (3-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7).

…………China’s Qian Tianyi, the reigning world junior champion, impressed. She accounted for Poland’s Li Qian, the current European champion (11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 13-11), before ended the hopes of Russia’s Valeria Shcherbatykh (11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 14-12).

…………Pan American Games gold medallist; it was defeat in her opening contest for Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz; she was beaten by China’s Zhang Rui (11-7, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6).

Men’s Doubles – Preliminary Round One

…………Pår Gerell and Jens Lundqvist delighted the home supporters, in a tension packed contest they beat England’s Paul Drinkhall and Sam Walker (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-13, 12-10).

Women’s Doubles – Preliminary Round One

…………Disappointment for Sweden; after establishing a two games to nil lead, Singapore’s Goi Rui Xuan and Lin Ye (11-7, 12-10, 11-9);