Faso and Öçal Stun Second Seeds Chirita and Istrate to Reach Quarterfinal
A partnership formed barely six weeks ago produced one of the most compelling upsets of the doubles competition in Cluj-Napoca, as Italy's Danilo Faso and Görkem Öçal of Türkiye came from two games down to eliminate the second-seeded Romanian pair of Iulian Chirita and Andrei Istrate. The 3-2 victory - sealed 8-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 - sent the young duo into the quarterfinals and silenced what was expected to be a favourable crowd for the home nation.
The result was as much a story of character as it was of table tennis. Trailing 2-0 and, by their own admission, operating well below their best, Faso and Öçal regrouped between games and found the kind of collective resolve that partnerships can take years to build. Much like the unpredictability that draws fans to emerging sporting competitions - whether that is youth table tennis in Eastern Europe or mexico abe basketball, where underdog narratives regularly rewrite expectations - this match demonstrated that form on paper rarely tells the full story once play begins.
"We were 2-0 down and we were not playing at our level. They were playing well, but we were not playing very well. Then we started to tell each other, 'Come on, we can do it, we have to fight for this match.' We started very well in each of the next games, leading 3-0, and that helped a lot," said Öçal, capturing the turning point with precision. It is the kind of momentum shift that coaches and players speak about in every sport - the moment a team stops reacting and starts dictating.
A Partnership Born from a Rivalry
What makes this result particularly striking is the history between these two players. At last year's European Youth Championships, Faso and Öçal met three times - in the Under 15 Singles final, the Doubles final, and the team event final between Italy and Türkiye - with the Italian winning on each occasion. Those three finals across a single championship represent an extraordinary head-to-head concentration at youth level, and it speaks to the quality both players possess.
The decision to turn that rivalry into a partnership came about through a straightforward conversation. "We decided to play together about a month and a half ago. Görkem asked me and I said yes, I would like to. Now we are very happy because we are doing very well," said Faso. Six weeks of preparation is a short runway for any doubles pairing, and the fact that they had to overcome familiarity in the process - replacing competition with cooperation - made their comeback all the more credible.
Facing the Draw with Clear Eyes
Neither player pretended the bracket was kind to them. Being drawn against the second seeds in the early rounds is the kind of obstacle that can deflate a new pairing before they find their rhythm. Faso was candid about the initial reaction. "When we saw the draw, we were not very happy, but before the match we were very focused. We wanted to beat them because after that we would have a chance to fight for medals," he said.
That medal ambition is now a realistic proposition. By removing Chirita and Istrate - a Romanian pairing who carried both seeding and home advantage - Faso and Öçal have earned the right to believe. The quarterfinal awaits, and the evidence from Cluj-Napoca suggests this newly formed pair has the mental fortitude to go further still.
