by Ian Marshall, Editor
Furthermore, the efforts of two weeks earlier at the Asian Junior and Cadet Championships in Ulaanbaator, Mongolia were repeated; on Saturday 7th September, Chen Yuanyu and Chen Yi had won the respective cadet boys’ singles and cadet girls’ singles titles, in the northern Croatian city, the feats were repeated.
Impressive performances
After in the later rounds accounting Poland’s Mateus Zalewski (11-6, 11-6, 11-9) and Spain’s Daniel Berzosa (11-9, 11-1, 11-7), Chen Yuanyu overcame colleague Zhang Minghao (11-6, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6) to arrest the title. In the opposite half of the draw, Zhang Minghao had beaten Gabrielius Camara of the Netherlands (13-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6) and compatriot, Lin Shidong (11-8, 11-7, 12-10) to reach the final.
Impressive from Chen Yuanyu, it was the same from Chen Yi; moreover, there was an air of revenge. On the second day of play in Varazdin, Chen Yi had lost to teammate, Kuai Man in a closely contested seven games encounter in the final of the junior girls’ singles event (11-2, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 10-12, 14-12). In the cadet girls’ singles title decider they met again; once again a full distance contest accrued, only on this occasion Chen Yi emerged successful (12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 3-11, 11-4).
Earlier, at the quarter-final stage, Chen Yi had beaten the host nation’s Hana Arapovic (11-9, 11-7, 11-6), followed by success in opposition to colleague Leng Yutong (11-6, 13-15, 11-6, 11-9). Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw, in the same rounds, Kuai Man had ousted Hong Kong’s Poon Yat (11-8, 11-1, 11-4), followed by success in opposition to Romania’s Elena Zaharia (11-3, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6).
Doubles gold
Success for Chen Yi in the cadet girls’ singles, earlier in the day it had been the same in the cadet girls’ doubles; she partnered Leng Yutong to gold, the pair recovering from a two games to nil deficit to clinch the title at the final expense of Elena Zaharia and compatriot, Ioana Singeorzan (9-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7).
Hard fought success for Chen Yi and Leng Yutong, in the counterpart cadet boys’ doubles final, life was less dramatic. Lin Shidong and Zhang Minghao accounted for Poland’s Milosz Redzimski and Mateusz Zalewski in straight games (11-7, 11-9, 11-8) to reserve the top step of the podium.
Next stops
Play in Varazdin concluded, attention now turns to Zrenjanin, the 2019 Serbia Junior and Cadet Open commences on Tuesday 24th September, the following day the 2019 Chinese Taipei Junior and Cadet Open begins.
