2014 China Junior and Cadet Open finals
Monday 30 June
Occupying the same exalted position in the draw, she accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Lee Yu-Peng at the semi-final stage (11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6), before clinching the title at the final expense of China’s Xu Yuyuan.
the tournament and overall his third on the ITTF Junior Circuit.Mainstay of Team Event Success, Fan Siqi Adds to Title Haul in Taicang
Alongside Mu Jingyu and Wang Yidi, the winner of the Junior Girls’ Team event when representing China ‘B’; Fan Siqi collected her second title of the five days in Taicang, by winning the Junior Girls’ Singles title at the 2014 China Junior and Cadet Open on Friday 27th June.
In the Junior Girls’ Team event, she had been very much the guiding hand, remaining unbeaten throughout, notably being the mainstay of success in the final when accounting for both Kim Nam Hae and Kim Jinju in the three-two final success against DPR Korea.
Three days after the success in the team event; once again it was success against Kim Nam Hae; she beat the player from DPR Korea in the final (11-7, 11-6, 11-8, 12-10), having in the previous round accounted for compatriot Mu Jingyu (11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-13, 11-6).
At the same stage Kim Nam Hae had beaten Thailand’s Orawan Paranang (11-5, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7), the one seeded player to reach the semi-final stage of the Junior Girls’ Singles event. Orawan Paranang was the fifth seed.
Success for Fan Siqi who owing to an absence from the international scene has no World ranking; however, she is no stronger to the global scene.
In September 2013, alongside Xhen Xingtong, Chen Ke and Zhang Rui, she was a member of the Chinese Team that won the Junior Girls’ Team title at the Asian Junior and Cadet Championships in Doha; whilst in 2011 she figured prominently in the Cadet Girls’ Singles events at the ITTF Junior Circuit events in Chengdu and Taicang.
On both occasions beaten by colleague Liu Gaoyang; she was the runner up in Chengdu, having at the semi-final stage accounted for Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi, the player who currently stands at the top of the Under 18 Girls World Rankings. One week later in Taicang Liy Gaoyang ended the progress of Fan Siqi at the semi-final stage.
Success for Fan Siqi in the Junior Girls’ Singles, in the counterpart Junior Boys’ Singles event the top prize went to compatriot Zhang Bohan who followed a path very similar to that of his female counterpart.
Like Fan Siqi he had won gold in Doha at the 2013 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships and similarly it was team gold; alongside Liang Jingkun, Lyu Xiang and Yu Ziyang he was a member of the squad that won the Junior Boys’ Team title.
Also, as with Fan Siqi, he went through the whole tournament unbeaten. In the three-two semi-final defeat for China ‘B’ against Thailand in the Junior Boys’ Team event, he was the one winner. He accounted for both Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon and Padasak Tanviriyavechakul.
Not seeded in the Junior Boys’ Team event in a competition that saw all four semi-finalists from China, Zhang Bohan accounted for Wei Shihao, the top seed, in the semi-finals in a nail-biting seven games duel (8-11, 11-8, 4-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10), before securing the title at the final expense of Zhu Cheng, again a full distance contest was the requirement (9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7, 4-11, 11-4).
In the counterpart semi-final, Zhu Cheng had overcome Fang Yinchi (11-9, 2-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-4).
Proceedings in Taicang over, attention now turns to Sichuan Province; the 2014 Chengdu Junior and Cadet Open, an ITTF Premium Junior Circuit event, commences on Monday 30th June.
Singapore and Thailand Emerge Most Successful in Brunei Darussalam
Winner of the Under 21 Women’s Singles title earlier this year in January at the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Dubai, Singapore’s Lin Ye won the Junior Girls’ Singles event at the recent South East Asia Junior and Cadet Championships.
Staged in the Indoor Stadium Berakas in Brunei Darussalam from Monday 16th to Saturday 21st June, Singapore and Thailand dominated proceedings.
The 20th edition of the tournament; team, singles and doubles events for boys and girls were staged in both the Junior and Cadet age groups with, in addition, Mixed Doubles being held in the former.
Thailand secured seven of the 13 titles on offer. Next in line came Singapore with four titles with one each being secured by Indonesia and Malaysia.
In addition to the success gain by Lin Ye, Singapore won both the Under 18 Girls’ Team and Under 15 Boys’ Team title with Lucas Tan adding further success by clinching the Under 15 Boys’ Singles crown.
Meanwhile for Thailand, it was success in the Junior Boys’ Team event and both the Junior Boys’ Singles and Cadet Girls’ Singles events. Nitipat Pimrat secured the top step of the podium in the former, in the latter it was Cathareeya Poungsri.
Success for Thailand in the Junior Boys’ Team event and in two singles competitions; however, it was in the doubles where they excelled. They won all four titles of the five titles on offer.
Orawan Paranang won the Junior Girls’ Doubles title in partnership with Apichara Sritavarit and the Junior Mixed Doubles crown in harness with Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon.
Meanwhile Cathareeya Poungsri added to her collection by securing the Under 15 Girls’ Doubles title in partnership with Monapsorn Saritairak; whilst Pattaratorn Passara and Yanapong Panagitgun emerged as the Cadet Boys’ Doubles champions.
The titles to elude Singapore and Thailand came in the Cadet Girls’ Team event and in the Junior Boys’ Doubles competition.
Indonesia won the Under 15 Girls’ Team competition, Malaysia’s Hashri Fikri Mohammad and Wong Chun Cheun secured Junior Boys’ Doubles gold.
A total of 80 players competed with the Junior Boys’ events witnessing 28 competitors, the number in the Junior Girls’ competitions being 25 with 18 Cadet Boys being in action; 19 players were present in the Cadet Girls’ itinerary.
Eight national associations competed: Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
