by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

At the final hurdle, they beat the top seeded combination formed by Korea’s Cho Daeseong and Japan’s Yukiya Uda to claim the top prize. They succeeded in a full distance five games final (13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6); after one round earlier, having ousted the United States combination of Sharon Alguetti and Victor Liu, the no.3 seeds (9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2).

“In top spin rallies we were good and we played well in the match; I feel a little tired, because I have to play many matches today, I had Mixed Doubles semi-finals in the morning, later I have my singles event as well. Now I have made it into the Boys’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles finals; I want to win here in Shanghai”, Yukiya Uda after the Boys’ Doubles success against Csaba Andras and Italy’s Carlo Rossi.

In the counterpart semi-final, Cho Daeseong and Yukiya Uda had ended the hopes of Hungary’s Csaba Andras and Italy’s Carlo Rossi, the no.4 seeds (11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5).

“We won three-one and in the first game, they were very confident, so we were a bit surprised. We lost that game 9-11. We won the match; it was not so easy, so we are happy about it. We are the second seeds, and we will face the top seeds in the final but I feel we are a good doubles pair and we can win”, Vladimir Sidorenko after the Boys’ Doubles success against Sharon Alguetti and Victor Liu

It is the fourth time that a European pairing has won the Boys’ Doubles title at an ITTF World Cadet Challenge.

The first was the partnership formed by England’s Gavin Evans and Frenchman Simon Gauzy; they won in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 2005.

Later France was again to the fore when Andreas Landrieu and Portugal’s Diogo Chen prevailed in San Juan, Puerto Rico in early 2012; the one further success for Europe also came in the Caribbean. The combination of Romania’s Cristian Pletea and Moldova’s Andrei Putuntica won in Barbados in 2014.

“It’s amazing. We played well; it was a close match but we won the title. You know, tactics are very important. We followed the tactics just as the coach said. I can’t explain my feeling now. Wow! Our opponents were strong players. They made some mistakes and we took advantage of that. From the training camp until today’s finals, I had a memorable seven days in Shanghai. My partner and I trust each other and the title is a best gift for us”, Vladimir Sidorenko after the Boys’ Doubles final.

Now once again Europe occupies the top step of the Boys’ Doubles podium at an ITTF World Cadet Cadet Challenge; the winners Maciej Kolodziecyzyk and Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko.

2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Schedule of Play
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Boys’ Teams and Girls’ Teams

2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Team – First Stage Results
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Team – First Stage Results

2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Team – Main Draw
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Team – Main Draw

2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Groups
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Positions 1-16
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Positions 17-32

2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Groups
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Positions 1-16
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Positions 17-32

2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Boys’ Doubles
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Girls’ Doubles
2016 ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Cadet Mixed Doubles