by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Likewise, there is major progress for his nemesis in the Serbian capital city; Sharon Alguetti of the United States makes an even more dramatic climb. He advances from no.49 to no.7 (2,090 points).

Promotion for Manav Vikash Thakkar means that for the next four names on the list, all not present in Serbia, it is one place lower. Kanak Jha is now at no.2 (2,950 points), followed by Argentina’s Francisco Sanchi (2,895 points), Frenchman Bastien Rembert (2,880 points) and Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin (2,706 points).

Meanwhile, following Sharon Alguetti, it is likewise a drop of one place for the next names on the list. Romania’s Cristian Pletea is now at no.8 (1,866 points) with Austria’s Maciej Kolodziejzyk (1,648 points) and Japan’s Shunsuke Togami (1,630 points) complete the top ten names.

Notably when the 2017 Egypt Junior and Cadet Open concludes on Sunday 15th October, the top nine names will all have played in two continents and will thus have met the basic criteria to compete in the ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals to be staged next February in Luxembourg.

A total of 16 players will be invited and one player, who by reaching the semi-final stage of the Junior Boys’ Singles event in Belgrade, has boosted his hopes, is Manush Utpalbai Shah, like Manav Vikash Thakkar from India. He moves from no.40 to no.14 (1,492 points).

Similarly, on the ITTF World Junior Girls’ Standings, there is notable progress for the Belgrade runner up, also from India, Archana Girish Kamath. She moves from no.45 to no.16 (1,625 points); as yet she has not completed the two continent criteria but her name appears on the entry list for the forthcoming 2017 India Junior and Cadet Open, thus she will meet the requirement.

However, that is not the situation for Serbia’s Sabina Surjan, the champion in Belgrade; she climbs from no.60 to no.18 (1,528 points) but to date has only played in in Europe. Moreover, her name does not appear on the entry list for India, the only tournament remaining on this year’s ITTF World Junior Circuit outside the old continent.

Progress for Sabina Surjan and Archana Girish Kamath who alongside Manav Vikash Thakkar are members of the “ITTF With the Future in Mind” programme and were present at a recent training camp in Slovenia but at the top of the list the names remain the same.

Japan’s Maki Shiomi continues to lead (4,000 points), followed by colleague Miyu Nagasaki (2,450 points), Hong Kong’s Wong Chin Yau (2,419 points) and China’s Liu Weishan (2,380 points). Next on the list is Yuka Minagawa, also from Japan (2,300 points shadowed by Romania’s Adina Diaconu (2,230 points) and Croatia’s Sun Jiayi (2,200 points). Chinese Taipei’s Chen Ting-Ting (2,191 points), Amy Wang of the United States (2,040 points) and Chinese Taipei’s Su Pei-Ling (1.964 points) complete the top ten names.

Currently Maki Shiomi, Liu Weishan, Yuka Minagawa and Sun Jiayi have not met the two continent criteria to compete in the Finals but notably, the name of Maki Shiomi appears on the entry list for the Indian Junior and Cadet Ope, thus she will meet the requirement.

In addition to being required to meet to compete in two continents, each continent and the host nation is eligible to be represented by one boy and one girl in the Finals. The best three results in each continent are taken into consideration when calculating the Standings.

2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit: Boys’ Standings (Wednesday 11th October)

2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit: Girls’ Standings (Wednesday 11th October)