07/05/2012       

Winner of the Boys’ Singles title at the ITTF Junior Circuit Finals in San Juan, Puerto Rico earlier this year in January; on Wednesday 4th July 2012, Chinese Taipei’s 18 year old Hung Tzu-Hsiang took a major step forward, to qualifying for the prestigious annual event once again.

He won the Junior Boys’ Singles title at the United States Junior and Cadet Open in Grand Rapids

Successful in San Juan, Hung Tzu-Hsiang will be seeking more success when the tournament is staged from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th January 2013, once again in Latin America.

Guatemala City, the Guatemalan capital, will be the home.

Climbs Two Places
On the lists published by the International Table Tennis Federation, immediately following the event in Grand Rapids, Hung Tzu-Hsiang climbs two places to no.3.

He trails the Brazilians, Hugo Calderano and Eric Jouti who were not present in Grand Rapids.

Top Three
Hugo Calderano possesses 3,470 points with Eric Jouti being the owner of 3,350 points and Hung Tzu-Hsiang boasting 3,190 points.

Chasing Group
Formerly in third and fourth places respectively, Hong Kong’s Chiu Chung Hei (2,475 points) and Japan’s Yuto Higashi (2,100 points) both fall one place to make way for Hung Tzu-Hsiang.

The former is now at no.4, the latter at no.5 with Singapore’s Xin Zhaoxu (1,900 points) remaining at no.6 to complete the elite names.

Enter Race
Meanwhile for the girls, America’s Ariel Hsing and Lily Zhang who contested the Junior Girls’ Singles final in Grand Rapids, enter the race for Guatemala.

Ariel Hsing the victor is at no.25 (1,000 points) with Lily Zhang at no.40 (700 points).

Singaporeans in Form
Both have some distance to go to catch the current leaders, none of whom played in the United States Junior and Cadet Open.

Zhou Yihan leads the list which sees three Singaporeans amongst the top three. In addition to Zhou Yihan (4,000 points), Lin Ye (2,170 points) is in third place with Isabelle Siyun Li (2,110 points) in fourth spot.

Next on List
Marina Berho of France (2,459 points) is in second position with Sweden’s Kristina Zetterström fifth (1,886 points) and Hong Kong’s Li Ching Wan (1,840 points) in sixth place.

Qualification for Guatemala
The leading 16 players following the conclusion of the 33rd tournament on the 2012 ITTF Junior Circuit, the Bahrain Junior and Cadet Open on Sunday 18th November receive invitations to compete in Guatemala.

However, players must have competed in two continents, each of the continents affiliated to the International Table Tennis Federation – Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, Latin America and North America – must have at least one representative as must the host association.

Furthermore, there is a limit of two players from each national association.

Qualification for Guatemala
ITTF Junior Circuit Following United States Junior and Cadet Open: Boys’and Standings