by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Occupying the no.7 seeded position; he accounted for Asuka Sakai, the no.5 seed at the semi-final stage (16-14, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4) before clinching the title at the expense of Yuto Kizukuri, the no.8 seed (11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8).
In the counterpart semi-final, Yuto Kizukuri had overcome Mizuki Oikawa, the no.2 seed (11-9, 11-8, 11-7); the player Lim Jonghoon had beaten in the final one year earlier.
“I tried to do my best, preparing my tactics well for each match and concentrating on each point. It´s the second time I have won in Korea, repeating last year’s performance”, Lim Junghoon.
Overall, it was a third career ITTF Under 21 Men’s Singles title for Lim Junghoon; prior to winning last year on home soil, he also won in Hungary.
Meanwhile, for Minami Ando it was her first.
“I am very excited to won my first World Tour Title! It was a very challenging competition and the difficulty increased match by match”, Minami Ado.
The no.9 seed, she accounted for Singapore’s Lin Ye, the no.5 seed in the penultimate round (11-7, 11-4, 13-11), before overcoming colleague a player in form, Saki Shibata, the no.4 seed (11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6).
Notably, at the semi-final stage Saki Shibata had beaten Korea’s Choi Hyojoo, the top seed in a tense full distance five games encounter (11-9, 11-7, 1-11, 5-11, 11-8).
