In a nail-biting encounter that pushed both players to their limits, Debora Vivarelli emerged victorious on Saturday. She defeated Solomiya Brateyko 3-2 (7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 19-21, 13-11) to secure her spot in the Women’s Singles main draw.

Both athletes were hungry for their first taste of the main event. Brateyko displayed immense courage, even claiming a taxing 19-21 victory in the fourth game – the highest scoring game of the entire Singapore Smash tournament. This comeback forced a thrilling fifth set.

With the score tilted against her at 8-10 in the decider, Brateyko seemed on the verge of victory. However, Vivarelli refused to surrender. She clawed her way back, saving two match points before snatching a third at 10-11. Overcome with emotion, she sealed the win and collapsed to the floor in tears.

“I’m exhausted. I felt like I played 50 games in one. I couldn’t serve anymore, and was so sweaty and tired my legs weren’t moving. I put all my heart into this match. Miya is my teammate in Italy, so we know each other well, so I’m super happy and think it’s one of the biggest results I’ve had in my career. It’s the most important event, so I’m very happy.”

Debora Vivarelli
Sutirtha Mukherjee secures her first ever qualifying win

Mukherjee Upsets Top Seed, Kubik Completes Strong Qualifying Run

The drama continued in round 3 of qualifying, with Sutirtha Mukherjee pulling off a stunning upset. Despite facing the tournament’s top qualifier, Andreea Dragoman, Mukherjee refused to back down. After dropping the first game, she battled back to win three straight (8-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-6) and secure her first-ever qualifying win at the Singapore Smash.

On the men’s side, Maciej Kubik capped off an impressive qualifying run. He overcame an early deficit against Manav Vikash Thakkar (12-14, 11-5, 12-10, 12-10) to clinch his spot in the main draw for the first time. Last year, Kubik fell at the first hurdle, but strong performances against Yang Wang, Lubomir Pistej, and now Thakkar showcase his development.

Filip Zeljko overcame a 1 2 deficit to defeat Joao Monteiro

Zeljko Completes Comeback to Reach Main Draw

Filip Zeljko overcame a 1-2 deficit to defeat Joao Monteiro 3-2 (8-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9), booking his first-ever Singapore Smash main draw berth. This exciting comeback capped off three days of intense qualifying matches. With the player line-up for the Men’s and Women’s Singles round of 64 now complete, the main draw kicks off today, Sunday, March 10th.

Check out the results from qualifying on the Singapore Smash event page, here.

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