Each day that passes – or rather each night in France – brings the two Alsatians still in the race at the junior world championships in Spokane (USA) a little closer to the medal. This Thursday morning, at a time when France was sleeping soundly, Alex Lanier (ASPTT Strasbourg) in singles and Camille Pognante (Red Star Mulhouse) in women’s doubles punched their ticket for the round of 16 of the 23rd edition.
The Strasbourg resident, world No. 1 in the category for more than a year and seeded No. 1, however lost his first set in the tournament during his round of 16 against the Japanese Daigo Tanioka (21-19, 17 -21, 21-9). The 2022 European champion, who is barely returning to competition after three and a half months without a match due to a fractured vertebra and has therefore fallen to 62nd place in the world among seniors after having occupied 39th – his best ranking – at the beginning of July, had to fight 1h12′ to get rid of a Nippon whose path he had never crossed.
This Thursday, at a late hour in the evening, perhaps even at night, the European hope of 2022 and 2023 will continue his quest for gold against the Thai Wongsup Wongsup-In, seeded 16, who he never faced either.
Mastered meeting for the Pognante/Jacob duo
For Camille Pognante, quarter-finalist, like Alex Lanier, of the 2022 junior worlds in Santander in women’s doubles with the other Strasbourg resident Malya Hoareau, the adventure also continues. The Red Star badista and her partner Elsa Jacob, seeded 5, reached the sixteenth mark without incident, at the end of a generally controlled meeting despite a delicate start to the first set, ahead of the Indians Shriyanshi Valishetty and Vennala Kalagotla (21-17, 21-17).
Next night, they will play for a place in the quarterfinals against a Japanese pair, Riko Kiyose/Ririna Hiramoto, seeded 15.
2023-10-05 06:57:57
#quarters #sight #Lanier #Pognante
