by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

He is the Junior Boys’ Singles top seed, being listed ahead the Frenchmen Irvin Bertrand and Jules Rolland; the host nation’s Carlo Rossi is next on the list. Poland’s Artur Grela, Germany’s Kay Stumper occupy the following two positions with Hungary’s Patrik Juhasz and Yu Heyi, like Xu Haidong from China, completing the top eight names.

It is the eighth name on the list plus that of colleague Yu Licen, the 21st rated player in the order of merit that may well prove the biggest obstacle in the aspirations of Xu Haidong to secure a watershed success.

Earlier this year in February in Oman, Xu Haidong was beaten by Yu Licen in Junior Boys’ Singles final; one week later on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in the Czech Republic, Yu Heyi secured the top prize.

Notably, in the Junior Boys’ Team event, Xu Haidong, Yu Heyi and Yu Licen combine to form the top seeded outfit. The host nation’s Martco Cappucio, John Oyebode, Gabriele Piciulin and Carlo Ross combine to form the second seeded outfit.

However, the Junior Boys’ Doubles competition, the name of Xu Haidong, a right handed pen-hold grip player and thus the perfect foil for a left handed shake-hands grip exponent, does not appear. The fortunes of China are entrusted to Yu Heyi and Yuan Licen; they are the fourth seeds.

Frenchmen Lilian Bardet and Jules Rolland occupy the top seeded spot, followed by Poland’s Artur Grela and Jan Zandecki; the host nation’s Marco Cappucio and Carlo Rossi are next on the list.

Proceedings commence with the individual events.