3/19/2010        2010 Malta Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Matters went very much according to plan as the singles events commenced at the Malta Junior Open in Cottonera on Friday 19th March 2010.

The leading names remained unbeaten with few exceptions; the exceptions being realised in the Cadet Boys’ and Cadet Girls’ Singles events and also the Junior Boys’ Doubles competition.

In the Cadet Boys' and Cadet Girls' Singles events there were no great problems for the top two seeds but that was not the case when it came to Boys' Doubles.

Cadet Boys’ Singles
Singapore’s Clarence Chew, Israel’s Itamar Avramov, the top two seeds in the Cadet Boys’ Singles competition, both booked quarter-final places as did fourth seed, Sweden’s Alexander Fransen.

However, for Singapore’s Kerry Tan, the no.3 seed, there was a surprise in store.

He suffered a second round defeat being beaten by Tunisia’s Thameur Mamia.

Similar Scenario
It was a similar scenario in the Cadet Girls’ Singles event.

Israel’s Nicole Trusman and Austria’s Melanie Luginger, the respective top two seeds, both remained unbeaten in the group stage of proceedings but there was defeat for the no.3 seed, Spain’s Laura Ramirez.

She was beaten by Julie Kuy of France.

However, Julie Kuy defeated Israel’s Neli Shoifer as did Julie Kuy, so both proceed to the main draw.

Boys’ Doubles
Similarly, there was an upset in the Boys’ Doubles event.

Top seeded Tunisians Adem Hmam and Oussama Chaieb duly progressed to the final but for the second seeds, Israel’s Michael Tauber and Elad Kuperberg it was a penultimate round exit.

They were beaten by the partnership of Spain’s Alejandro Calvo and Singapore’s Jay Kit Tay.

Success for Top Four Seeds
Otherwise the leading lights all prevailed.

In both the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles events the top four seeds all finished in first place in their respective groups.

Tunisia’s Adem Hmam, Israel’s Michael Tauber, Spain’s Alejandro Calvo and Singapore’s Clarence Chew finished the day as group winner in the Boys’ Singles event as did Singapore’s Isabelle Li and Sylvia Look, Egypt’s Dina Meshref and Sarah Berge of France in the Girls’ Singles competition.

Girls’ Doubles
Meanwhile, in the Girls’ Doubles, the top two seeded pairs have reached the final.

Isabelle Li and Sylvia Look will meet Sara Berge and Dina Meshref.