by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Three days earlier Huang Chien-Tu had partnered Lin Yun-Ju and Feng Yi-Hsin to Junior Boys’ Team success; Tai Ming-Wei had joined forces with Huang Yan-Cheng to secure top place in the Cadet Boys’ Team category.

Junior titles

On the concluding day of play, Huang Chien-Tu partnered Lin Yun-Ju to Junior Boys’ Doubles gold, the pair beating colleagues Lai Chi-Chien and Lin Huan-Hsun at the final hurdle (11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9); the win being secured after the two gold medallists had been in opposition.

At the semi-final stage of the Junior Boys’ Singles event, Huang Chien-Tu, the no.3 seed, had accounted for Lin Yun-Ju, the no.6 seed, in a close seven games encounter determined by the very narrowest of margins in the deciding game (3-11, 11-6, 8-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9) to book his place in the final.

The title at stake, Huang Chien-Tu who had won earlier in the year in Thailand as well as in Guatemala and El Salvador in 2012, overcame Korea’s Cho Daeseong (12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5) to secure the title.

Impressive Korean

A very impressive performance by Huang Chien-Tu; it was arguably even more impressive from Cho Daeseong.

Only 13 years old, at the semi-final stage of the Junior Boys’ Singles event, he had accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Cai Ruei-Fong (11-2, 13-11, 11-8, 11-3), the player who in the opening round had ousted Japan’s Takuto Izumo, the top seed (11-13, 6-11, 11-7, 11-13, 14-12, 11-6, 11-9).

Furthermore, he reached the final of the Cadet Boys’ Singles event beating colleague Shin Heetae at the quarter-final stage (11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5) and Chinese Taipei’s Tsang Tsz Tsun in the penultimate round (11-6, 11-5, 11-8), prior to experiencing defeat in the final at the hands of Tai Ming-Wei (11-8, 11-2, 13-11).

Player in form

Unquestionably it was a very brave effort from Cho Daeseong but Tai Ming-Wei was a player in form. In the round of the last eight he had beaten Japan’s Yu Kayama, the top seed, prior to reserving his place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Singapore’s Gerald Yu Zong Jun (11-6, 11-6, 11-4).

Success in the Cadet Boys’ Singles event, earlier in the day Tai Ming-Wei had partnered Huang Hung-Chen to Cadet Boys’ Doubles gold; the pair accounted for Korea’s Hwang Jinha and Jung Seongwon to claim the top prize (9-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-5).

Tunisia awaits

Matters concluded in Chinese Taipei; the next stop on this year’s ITTF World Junior Circuit is Hammamet; the Sopal 2016 Tunisia Junior and Cadet Open commences on Wednesday 31st August.