by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

A sixth appearance of the year on the 2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit, Feng Yi-Hsin, even though only 14 years old, has proved himself a most worthy competitor and a worthy successor to the now 36 year old Chuang Chih-Yuan, a player whose appetite for the sport remains unquenched.

Notably in addition to his silver medal in Croatia, Feng Yi-Hsin was a quarter-finalist in both Poland and Hong Kong.

Likewise, his colleague, Tai Ming-Wei has also impressed on this year’s ITTF World Junior Circuit; in Croatia he reached the semi-final stage, like Feng Yi-Hsin losing to Kanak Jha. In Otocec, Tai Ming-Wei is the no.6 seed.

Impressive in Croatia, it was the same from Argentina’s Francisco Sanchi and Iran’s Amin Ahmadian. The former, the runner up in Paraguay, Spain and on home soil in Buenos Aires, he reached the quarter-final stage losing to Tai Ming-Wei; meanwhile, one round later, Amin Ahmadian experienced defeat at the hands of Feng Yi-Hsin.

At the 2017 Slovenia Junior and Cadet Open, Francisco Sanchi is the no.4 seed in the Junior Boys’ Singles event, Amin Ahmadian is the next in line.

Sandwiched in between Feng Yi-Hsin and Francisco Sanchi is India’s Manav Vikash Thakkar followed by Japan’s Aoto Asazu. The best this year for Manav Vikash Thakkar is runners up spot in Thailand, for Aoto Asazu, the same finish in Sweden.

Most worthy performances, for Thailand’s Yanapong Panagitgun, the no.7 seed in Otocec, he has yet to reach the latter rounds on this year’s ITTF World Junior Circuit; for Victor Liu of the United States, the player who completes the top eight names it is his first appearance of the year.

A total of 95 players will compete in the Junior Boys’ Singles event.