9/23/2007        2007 ITTF WJC Congo Brazzaville Junior Open

Egypt’s Omar Assar, the number two seed, won the Boys’ Singles event at the Congo Brazzaville Junior Open on Sunday 23rd September 2007 to secure his first ever Boys’ Singles crown on the ITTF World Junior Circuit.

Furthermore, he assured himself of a place in the prestigious ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals in October to be staged in the splendid South African city of Cape Town.

At the final hurdle Omar Assar overcame Mohammed Tarek El-Sobky to clinch gold in an all Egyptian final, another first for the ITTF World Junior Circuit.

Omar Assar beat Mohamed Tarek El-Sobky 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8.

Determined
It was an impressive performance by the rising Egyptian star; he is a young man who has deep reserves of determination, wears his heart on his sleeve and gives total commitment from start to finish.

Never Extended
At no stage of the event was he extended the full seven games distance. On the concluding day of play he beat Congo Brazzaville’s Joe Ndzoli Lepembe in the quarters before ousting Sweden’s Simon Linderoth in the semis, the number three seed in Brazzaville.

Omar Assar overcame Joe Ndzoli Lepembe by the margin of 11-9, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7 before defeating Simon Linderoth in similar style 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7.

South Africans Excel
Success for Egypt in the Boys’ Singles but not in the Boys’ Doubles where there was to a surprise in store.

Seeded two, Omar Assar and Mohamed Tarek El-Sobky suffered defeat at the penultimate stage being beaten by South Africa’s Kurt Lingeveldt and Cody Meyer. The latter duo won 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 2-11, 11-5 to progress to the final where the Swedes Carl Akerlind and Simon Linderoth ended golden hopes.

Swedish Gold
In the semis the Swedes had received a walk-over against top seeds Trent Carter and Borna Kovac to book their place in the final, a match in which they had their eyes glued firmly on the title.

Carl Akerlind and Simon Linderoth beat the South African duo by the margin of 12-10, 11-6, 11-7.