International Table Tennis Federation 14 May 2021
Another undeniably impressive performance from the Romanian contingent present at the Pavilhão dos Desportos de Vila Real, has resulted in two further titles as Darius Movileanu and Iulian Chirita emerged victorious on the third day of play at WTT Youth Contender Vila Real.
Darius Movileanu one of two Romanian title winners on day three in Vila Real
by Simon Daish
A young man who wasn’t in the mood for sharing the spotlight in the Under-19 Boys’ Singles tournament, Movileanu, ranked 51st in the ITTF Table Tennis Youth Ranking, toppled some of the biggest names on duty in the Portuguese city.
Chirita defies expectations to land U-17 title in Vila Real 13 May 2021
Packed with drama, the second day of play at WTT Youth Contender Vila Real saw the event’s first champions being crowned with Romania’s Iulian Chirita providing the headline act with his success in the Under-17 Boys’ Singles tournament.
Iulian Chirita lands U17 title in Vila Real
by Simon Daish
Earlier than anticipated departures for Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo and Belgium’s Louis Laffineur blew the title race wide open, ready for an ambitious outsider to capitalise. Step forward Iulian Chirita!
Negotiating his two remaining group fixtures against Portugal’s Francisco Ferreira and Spain’s Francesc Carrera in straight games, Chirita, ranked 22nd on the ITTF Table Tennis Youth Ranking list, then went on to see off Israel’s Uri Almor across four games (9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5), before defeating Czech Republic’s Simon Belik by the same margin in the semi-finals (11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 1