by Ian Marshall, Editor

Furthermore, all have made their mark on the ITTF World Junior Circuit.

A quarter-finalist earlier this year in the Czech Republic, Archana Girish Kamath, the top seed in the Junior Girls’ Singles event in Amman, won in Morocco in 2016, whilst being the runner up last year in Serbia.

Similarly, Selena Selvakumar, the no.3 seed in the Junior Girls’ Singles event, one place ahead of Yashini Sivasankar and Prapti Sen, emerged successful in Qatar in 2016 as well as last year in Egypt. Furthermore, in March this year she was a quarter-finalist in the Czech Republic.

Meanwhile, Swastika Ghosh, the no.6 seed in the Junior Girls’ Singles event, reached the last eight in the first tournament of the year in Oman; in addition Diya Para Chitale, presently listed at no.4 on the Under 15 Girls’ World Ranking list, won the Cadet Girls’ Singles title in 2016 in both Qatar and in Tunisia.

Six of the top eight seeds from India; the two names to complete the list are from Chinese Taipei. Chen Ting-Ting is the no.2 seed, Cai Fong-En is the no.8 seed. Earlier this year Chen Ting-Ting reached the Junior Girls’ Singles quarter-finals in both France and Slovakia; for Cai Fong-En, on duty in both France and Poland, she has yet this year to advance beyond the opening round of an ITTF World Junior Circuit Girls’ Singles event.

Undoubtedly, the very technically correct Chen Ting-Ting is a major challenger for honours but is the greater challenge from her compatriot Fang Sih-Han, who owing to an absence from international play, has no current Under 18 Girls’ World Ranking?

Most notably in 2016 she won the Junior Girls’ Singles title in Jordan.