by Simon Daish

With Cho Seungmin and Kim Jiho having secured the Mixed Doubles title earlier in the day, Korea Republic would go on to pick up another Doubles trophy on the final day of the 2016 World Junior Championships after Cho Seungmin returned to the table alongside partner An Jaehyun to take home the Boys’ Doubles award.

Awaiting An Jaehyun and Cho Seungmin in the final were Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Tonin Ryuzaki, and with just the one place separating the two pairs in the seeding table the category’s finale was anticipated to be a closely fought contest. But as the final progressed the lower seeded pair of An Jaehyun and Cho Seungmin ran out comfortable winners over their opponents.

The Korean duo actually didn’t make the strongest of starts to the final and the top seeds Tomokazu Harimoto and Tonin Ryuzaki capitalised on that fact going on to take a deserved 0-1 lead, however, that was to be the only piece of positive news for the Japanese pairing as An Jaehyun and Cho Seungmin reached a new level in their performance.

Game two saw a difference of three points go in the favour of An and Cho, before the pair from Korea Republic began rising through the gears claiming the next three games in a row with ease to seal the victory (7-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4).

Following the conclusion of the final An Jaehyun stated that he felt that he and his partner Cho Seungmin triumphed at the tournament due to the Korean combination’s good understanding of each other’s game:

“I was not nervous before the match because my teammate and I have been playing doubles together for the last two years, we practice a lot and this reflected in our game. I think my teammate has done well in this competition making it to the three finals. From this competition, my confidence level has grown and I am now bold to face anybody” – An Jaehyun (Korea Republic).

Sun International 2016 World Junior Championships: Day Eight Quotes