by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

The winner on the 2016 ITTF World Junior Circuit in Tunisia, the 18 year old German has yet to replicate that form this year. In Sweden and Italy, he reached the quarter-final stage of the Junior Boys’ Singles event but to date in 2017 a podium finish has proved elusive.

Next in line is England’s Tom Jarvis, followed by the Hungarian duo of Istvan Molnar and Csaba Andras.

At the European Under 21 Championships in Sochi, Tom Jarvis recorded notable wins, overcoming Slovenia’s Deni Kozul, the Czech Republic’s Tomas Polansky and Turkey’s Ibrahim Gündüz.

Most worthy results but arguably the name to note is that of Hungary’s Csaba Andras. Only 14 years old, earlier this year, he reached the semi-final round of the Junior Boys’ Singles event in France, an outcome that rather overshadows his more senior colleague, 17 year old Istvan Molnar.

Similar to Tom Jarvis, he has proved most competitive but has yet to make his mark on the ITTF World Junior Circuit; his best of the year being a third round exit in Italy when beaten by Germany’s Kay Stumper.

In Senec, the two could well meet again; Kay Stumper is the no.5 seed and like Csaba Andras has age on his side. Likewise he is only 14 years old; most pertinently, in addition to Italy, he was a quarter-finalist in the Czech Republic.

England’s 18 year old Luke Saville and Matthew Leete, both players seeking to establish themselves on the international scene are the next two names in the order of merit; most certainly they are names to note.

However, if one player will attract the attention, it is the host nation’s Tibor Spanik; he completes the top eight names and he has enjoyed a degree of success this year. He was a quarter-finalist in Italy.