by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

At the final hurdle he beat India’s Himnakulhpuingheta Jeho to seal the title (11-6, 12-10, 11-3), the 14 year old Indian being very much a player in form; in the second round he had overcome Argentina’s Matias Guadalupe, the top seed (11-6, 11-2, 11-5), before later in proceedings accounting for Hungary’s Mate Oscai in the round of the last eight (11-8, 11-5, 11-5) and Iran’s Radi Khayyam in the semi-finals (11-8, 11-5, 11-8).

Equally, Radi Khayyam was a player to attract the attention; at the quarter-final stage he had ousted India’s Payas Jain, the no.4 seed 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6).

In the opposite half of the draw, in the latter stages, Owen Cathcart had overcome Korea’s Park Gyunhyeon (13-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6), before reserving his place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Croatia’s Ivor Ban, the no.3 seed (11-5, 11-4, 11-9).

Success for the second seed in the Cadet Boys’ Singles event; in the counterpart Cadet Girls’ Singles competition, it was success for the top seed.

Romania’s Elena Zaharia emerged the winner; at the final hurdle she accounted for Prithika Pavade of France, the no.2 seed (8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8), having at the quarter-final stage beaten Lithuania’s Emilija Riliskyte (11-13, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-7) and one round later Chinese Taipei’s Chen Ci-Xuan (11-9, 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8).

Notably one round earlier Chen Ci-Xuan had beaten India’s Divya Parag Chitale, the no.4 seed (8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7).

Meanwhile, in the latter stages in the adjacent half of the draw, Prithika Pavade had very much followed the path of Elena Zaharia; in the round of the last eight she had beaten Lithuania’s Kornelija Riliskyre (11-5, 11-7, 14-12), prior to overcoming Chinese Taipei’s Cai Fong-En, the no.4 seed (11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5).