by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
In order to be amongst the16 players who qualify for each of the Boys’ Singles and Girls’ Singles events at the ITTF Junior Circuit Finals, a player must have played in two continents; only the Hungarian Junior and Cadet Open, commencing on Wednesday 2nd November, remains on this year’s calendar.
Jiri Martinko, Patrik Klos and Izabela Lupulesku have only played in Europe; thus they are not eligible, even though they all three have made notable progress in the order of merit.
Izabela Lupulesku moves from no.33 to no.21 (1,372 points) on the Girls’ Singles Standings; on the Boys’ Standings, Patrik Klos advances from no.245 to no.58 (828 points), Jiri Martinko from no.74 to no.20 (1,608 points).
Meanwhile for Maki Shiomi, the situation is somewhat different; in the Finals a national association is limited to a maximum of two players in each of the Boys’ Singles and Girls’ Singles events.
Maki Shiomi moves from no.15 to no.6 (2,974 points) as a result of her efforts in Vrnjacka Banja but there are no less than three Japanese players listed higher.
Yuko Kato continues to lead (4,866 points), followed immediately by Kana Takeuchi (4,433 points) with Miyu Nagasaki at no.5 (3,076 points); like Maki Shiomi all have met the two continent criteria. Chinese Taipei’s Su Pei-Ling is at no.3 (3,588 points) with Hong Kong’s Mak Tze Wing (3,374 points), one step lower.
No place beckoning in the Indore for the Boys’ Singles finalists in Serbia but for the defeated semi-finalists it is very different scenario. Beaten by Jiri Martinko, Qatar’s Mohammed Abdulwahhab climbs two places to no.3 (3,318 points); Bahrain’s Rashed Sanad advances from no.13 to no.8 (2,457 points). Both have met the two continent requirements.
Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic continues to lead following his win in September on home soil in Otocec (4,740 points), Japan’s Yukiya Uda remains in third spot (3,849 points).
Chinese Taipei’s Huang Chien-Tu, who has only played in Asia, drops one place to no.4 (3,024 points). He is followed by the Japanese quartet of Koyo Kanamitsu (2,937 points), Yu Kayama (2,737 points) and Aoto Asazu (2,701 points).
In addition to the limit of only two players per national association in the Finals; each continent is eligible to have one representative in each of the Boys’ Singles and Girls’ Singles events is the host nation.
ITTF World Junior Circuit: Boys’ Standings following Serbia Junior and Cadet Open
ITTF World Junior Circuit: Girls’ Standings following Serbia Junior and Cadet Open
