By Neha Aggarwal
Doubles trouble for China
For the first time in history of World Junior Championship, no Chinese pair made it to the quarter final stage in the junior girls’ doubles event. In the top half, the was a lot of drama. The day started well as the pair of Liu Weishan and Sun Yizhen beat the top seeded Japanese pair of Miu Hirano and Mima Ito in the round of 32. However, their dream run ended soon after as they bowed down to Liu Qi and Wong Chin Yau of Hong Kong in five games 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 2-11,7-11. In the lower half the pair of Shi Xunyao and Yuan Yuan were knocked out by the second seeded pair of Hina Hayata and Miyu Kato 3-1 (7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 9-11).
With both the pairs bowing down, it is the first time in 13 years that no Chinese pair will win the junior girls’ doubles title.
In the boys’ side, the pair of Xu Yingbin and Yang Shuo were defeated by Japan’s top seeds Tomokazu Harimoto and Tonin Ryuzaki 11-7, 7-11, 9-11, 11-7,11-7 in the round of 16. However, there was relief in the lower half as the fourth seeded pair of Xu Haidong and Yu Heyi progressed to the quarter final stage. Thus, with one pair left in fray, the pressure is certainly on the Chinese to be head strong. They will play against Huang Chien-Tu and Lin Yun-Ju of Chinese Taipei, a match that will determine if China will take home a medal in the boys’ doubles or not!
The mixed doubles was a heart throbbing affair as Xu Haidong and Yuan Yuan ensured a medal reaching the semi finals. They beat Korea’s Cho Daeseong and Kim Youjin in seven games 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 3-11,11-8, 11-13, 7-11. However, YU Heyi/Liu Weishan and Xu Yingbin/Sun Yizhen did not make it to the final four again making it a tensed situation for China as all expectations rest on this one pair.
Singles knock-out competition kicks off
The junior boys’ and girls’ singles knock out stage started with the round of 64. In the boys’ side, top names Harimoto Tomokazu (JPN),XU Haidong (CHN), Darko Jorgic (SLO), Yuto Kizukuri (JPN), Andreas Levenko (AUT), Yu Heyi (CHN) and Cho Seungmin (KOR) all made it to the round of 32.
14- year old Truls Moregard from Sweden, the one one representing his country impressed as he defeated Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko (9-11, 11-6, 2-11, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9) to make a brilliant comeback and move up in the ladder. Two Frenchmen out of the four also made it to the round of 32, Alexandre Cassin and Irvin Bertrand kept the hopes alive.
In the girls’ side, in the upper half, Russia’s Daria Chernoray caused one of the biggest upsets as the 35th seed beat Spain’s Zhang Xuan, the no.15 seed, in a game that was played till the final breath (11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 11-13, 7-11, 9-11, 12-10). Unranked in the competition, China’s Sun Yizhen beat 29th seeded Oceane Guisnel (FRA) to move up to the round of 32. Also, USA’s Amy Wang, the no.34 seed, knocked out England’s Tin-Tin Ho, the no.19 seed in six games (11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7).
Lower half did not see any big surprises. The top players Miu Hirano (JPN), Ito Mima (JPN), Soo Wai Yam Minnie (HKG), Miu Kato(JPN), Hina Hayata (JPN), Adriana Diaz (PUR), Izabela Lupulesku (SRB) moved to the next stage without any hassles.
The second round of the singles event will take place o Tuesday, 6th December 2016.
