by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

However, it is the four players who experienced quarter-final defeats in Hong Kong who make the most significant progress.

In order to be amongst the 16 names to gain an invitation to the ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals to be staged in Luxembourg next February, a player must have met the minimum criteria of competing in two continents. Additionally, each continent is eligible to be represented by at least one player.

Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin and Li Hsing-Yan, alongside Japan’s Kakeru Sone and Australia’s Rohan Dhooria all departed in the round of the last eight in Hong Kong but have all met the two continent requirement.

Feng Yi-Hsin moves from no.30 to no.17 (1,306 points), Kakeru Sone from no.32 to no.18 (1,282 points) and Li Hsing-Yang from no.38 to no.23 (1,208 points); six tournaments remaining on this year’s ITTF World Junior Circuit calendar, the three Asian players are very much on the periphery of the Finals’ invitation list.

Somewhat conversely, Rohan Dhooria, although not home and dry, can surely expect an invitation to the Grand Duchy. He moves from no.49 to no.26 (1,130 points) and is well ahead of his nearest rival from Oceania, compatriot Xavier Dixon who stands at no.79 (440 points).

Likewise, the Junior Boys’ Singles finalists in El Salvador, Panama’s Jacobo Vahnish and Sweden’s Oskar Danielsson are both very much in the hunt for a Luxembourg invitation. Jacobo Vahnish, the winner, moves from no.229 to no.29 (1,100 points), Oskar Danielsson, the runner up, from no.113 to no.27 (1,115 points).

Both have completed the two continent requirement but may well need further good performances before the end of the year if they are to reserve a Finals’ invitation; neither is the leading player in their own continent.

Frenchman Bastian Rembert continues to lead the Boys’ Standings (2,880 points), ahead of Russia’s Artur Abusev (2,275 points) and Argentina’s Francisco Sanchi (2,275 points). Romania’s Cristian Pletea (1,866 points) completes the top four names.

Pertinently, Francisco Sanchi and Cristian Pletea have met the two continent criteria.

Additional to the fact that in order to gain an invitation to the Finals, a player must have competed in a minimum two continents and each continent is eligible for at least one representative; no association may be represented by more than two players. Also, only the best three finishes in each continent are taken into account and the host association is allotted one place.

2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit: Boys’ Standings (Sunday 10th September)

2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit: Girls’ Standings (Sunday 10th September)