02/19/2012        2012 Czech Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Premium Junior Circuit

France and Germany, currently the two major forces in European table tennis, won the respective Cadet Boys’ and Cadet Girls’ Team titles at the Czech Junior and Cadet Open in Hodonin on Saturday 18th February 2012.

Both occupied the top seeded place in the draw and both teams secured the top prize without ever being extended the full five match distance.

It was a most impressive performance from the French trio of Joe Seyfried, Romain Ruiz and Lucas Rigault, as it was from the German outfit formed by Alena Lemmer and Wan Yuan.

Promising Future
The future of both countries appears to be in good hands and their status as the leading nations in the old continent is seemingly set to continue.

Romain Ruiz Impressive
France started their campaign with a three-nil victory over the Slovak Republic team formed by Tomas Kopanyi and Samuel Kaluzny; before recording a three-one success against the Swedish outfit comprising Anton Kallberg and Adam Blomqvist to book their place in the final.

Mainstay of the victory against the Swedes was 14 year old Romain Ruiz, he beat Adam Blomqvist by the very narrowest of margins (11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 12-10), before overcoming Anton Kallberg (11-5, 11-3, 11-9) to bring proceedings to a conclusion.

Further Success
The one further win for France came in the doubles with Lucas Rigault and Joe Seyfried beating Adam Blomqvist and Anton Kallberg in a closely fought duel (11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-13, 11-5); the one success for Sweden came in the opening match of the fixture with Anton Kallberg overcoming Lucas Rigault.

Paved Way for Victory
A place in the final booked, it was Romain Ruiz who once again paved the way for success in a second three-one victory.

He recorded straight games victories against both Marek Badowski (11-8, 14-12, 13-11) and Adrian Dugiel (11-7, 11-6, 11-7). The one further success for France came from Joe Seyfried against Adrian Dugiel in the opening match of the fixture (10-12, 11-3, 11-4, 11-6); whilst for Poland, their one victory was recorded by Adrian Dugiel and Marek Badowski against Lucas Rigault and Joe Seyfried (13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8).

Most Convincing
Success for France in a convincing manner and it was success for Germany in the counterpart Cadet Girls’ Team event in an equally impressive fashion.

In fact they conceded just one match en route to the top prize; that being in the quarter-finals against Serbia when Lili Eise and Wan Yuan suffered defeat in the doubles against Tamara Agoston and Ivana Vejnovic (11-6, 11-6, 11-9).

Never in Danger
However, the Germans were never in real danger of defeat against the Serbians.

Wan Yuan beat Tamara Agoston (11-9, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8), before concluding the fixture with victory over Ivana Vejnovic (11-5, 11-4, 11-6); the one further win for Germany came in the second match of the contest with Alena Lemmer overcoming Ivana Vejnovic in three straight games (11-6, 11-7, 11-5).

Strength to Strength
A place in the semi-finals booked, the Germans went from strength.

In the penultimate round, they beat France with Alena Lemmer overcoming Marion Chomis (9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8), Wan Yuan defeating Pauline Ogrine (11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6) and the doubles bringing matters to and end thanks to the efforts of Alena Lemmer and Wan Yuan.

They accounted for Marion Chomis and Roza Soposki in four games (11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 15-13).

Equally Impressive
An impressive semi-final win and in the final life was equally impressive against Romania.

Alena Lemmer beat Diana Lupu (11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9), before Wan Yuan accounted for Andreea Clapa (11-8, 10-12, 7-11, 13-11, 11-6) and the pairing of Alena Lemmer and Wan Yuan defeated Adina Diaconu and Arina-Dora Singeorzan (11-7, 11-2, 11-9).

Comprehensive Semi-Final Win
Earlier the Romanians, with Diana Lupu and Andreea Clapa on duty, had posted a three-nil semi-final win over the Hungarian duo of Csilla Nagypal and Lejia Imre in their semi-final encounter; whilst at the same stage of the counterpart Cadet Boys’ Team event, the eventual silver medallists, Poland, had recorded a narrow three-two win over Belarus.

Guiding Hand
The man to guide Poland to the final was Adam Dugiel.

He beat both Nikita Vilenchyts (11-8, 11-5, 11-9) and Aliaksandr Khanin (11-8, 11-9, 3-11, 11-9). The one other win for Poland came in the doubles with Aleksander Werecki and Marek Badowski overcoming Aliaksandr Khanin and Nikita Vilenchyts (13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-9), a win that was to prove crucial with Aleksander Werecki being the Polish player to suffer.
He was beaten by Aliaksandr Khanin (11-2, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5) and by Nikita Vilenchyts (9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-6).

No Halting Progress of Germany and France
Nevertheless, a place in the final was booked as it was in the Cadet Girls’ Team event by Romania but in Hodonin, there no halting the progress of Germany and France.

They secured the top prizes and in an impressive manner, a most impressive manner indeed.

Anton Kallberg, one of the few players to cause the French boys problems Photo by Frantisek Zalewsky