by Ian Marshall, Editor
Both outfits secured first places courtesy of success in opposition to the highest rated teams in their respective groups.
Lin Yung-Chih, Tai Ming-Wei and Wei Cheng-Ting recorded a three-one win against the combination of Germany’s Kay Stumper and Meng Fanbo, who joined forces with Frenchman Dorian Zheng.
Backbone of the victory was Tai Ming-Wei. He beat both Meng Fanbo (11-7, 13-11, 11-5) and Kay Stumper (11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6) with sandwiched in between Wei Cheng-Ting accounting for Dorian Zheng (11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 16-14).
A hard earned win against the odds, it was even harder earned for Aoto Asazu, Takeru Kashiwa and Huang Yu-Jen. They recorded a three-two win in opposition to Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen, Josh Shao Han Chua and Gerald Yu Zong Jun.
Impressively, Pang Yew En Koen, who will be on duty at the forthcoming Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, beat both Aoto Asazu (11-9, 11-3, 11-6) and Takeru Kashiwa (11-8, 11-6, 11-3) but that was the sum total of Singaporean success. Josh Shao Han Chua suffered at the hands of Takeru Kashiwa (13-11, 5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6) and when facing Aoto Asazu in the concluding match of the fixture (12-10, 14-12, 12-10). The one further win for the victors was gained in the third match of the engagement when Huang Yu-Jen overcame Gerald Yu Zong Jun (11-5, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5).
Problems for the third and fourth seeds but there were no further defeats, second place in the group and thus a main draw place was reserved.
Meanwhile for the top seeds, China’s Liu Yebo, Niu Guankai and Xu Haidong, there were no such problems, it was first place in the group. Similarly, the no.2 seeds, Thailand’s Yanapong Panagitgun, Supakron Pankhaoyoy and Tananan Tantakool topped their group but not without difficulty.
Facing Hong Kong’s Su Zhi, Maurice Chong Kai Ning and Pau Yik Man, they were extended the full five match distance. Mainstay of the win was Yanapong Panagitgun; he beat both Maurice Chong Kai Ning (11-8, 11-9, 2-11, 9-11, 11-9) and Su Zhi (12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 13-11). The one further win for Thailand was claimed in the concluding match of the fixture when Supakron Pankhaoyoy accounted for Maurice Chong Kai Ning to seal the victory (11-8, 11-9, 11-7).
Play in the Junior Boys’ Team event concludes on Thursday 2nd August.
