by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Required to compete in the qualification group stage, in the final Vladimir Sidorenko beat Sweden’s Truls Moregard, the top seed (9-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7) to secure his first ever ITTF World Junior Circuit Boys’ Singles titles.

Earlier in the day, Vladimir Sidorenko had accounted for Myshaal Sabhi of France (10-12, 11-6, 9-11, 14-12, 11-4, 11-3) prior to overcoming Brazil’s Guilherme Teodoro (11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 7-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6). The Brazilian was a player in form, one round earlier he had beaten Germany’s Kay Stumper, the no.4 seed (5-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5).

A place in the penultimate round booked, Vladimir Sidorenko ended the progress of Chile’s Nicolas Burgos, the no.2 seed (13-15, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10) to reserve his place in the final.

Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw, Truls Moregard who like Vladimir Sidorenko had been present at the recent Liebherr 2018 World Team Championships in Halmstad, had experienced only minimal problems en route to the final.

In the later stages he beat Brazil’s Eduardo Tomoike (12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8), prior to overcoming Frenchman Vincent Picard (11-5, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9) and Jules Cavaille (11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8) to reserve his place in the final.

Notably the Frenchmen were in form; in round three, Vincent Picard had recovered from a three games to nil deficit to beat Lithuania’s Medardas Stankievicius (5-11, 8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6, 12-10), one round later at the quarter-final stage, Jules Cavaille had accounted for Lev Katsman, the no.3 seed (8-11, 11-8, 16-14, 3-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7).

Defeat for Lev Katsman but in harness with Maksim Grebnev it was Junior Boys’ Doubles success; at the final hurdle the duo overcame Germany’s Meng Fanbo and Benno Oehme to arrest the title (8-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-4, 11-8).

The Junior Boys’ Singles event completed, attention now turns to the Junior Boys’ Team and Cadet Boys’ Team competitions.