by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

A three matches to one verdict was the order of the title deciding contest but arguably the engagement was closer than the eventual score-line may suggest; only the second match of the fixture did not require the full five games and that almost went the complete distance. Youssef Ben Attia needed four games to beat Abdelbasset Chaichi, the fourth being decided by the very minimal two point margin (11-9, 6-11, 11-1, 13-11).

Success for Youssef Ben Attia came after, in the opening match of the engagement, Mohamed Azzam had beaten Regis Kiassi (9-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 11-1) and before, in the fourth contest, Mohamed Azzam returned to the fray to conclude matters by overcoming Abdelbasset Chaichi (11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 13-11).

The one win for the vanquished was recorded in the doubles when Regis Kiassi and Abdelbasset Chaichi emerged victorious by the very narrowest of margins.

Success by three matches to one in the final for Mohamed Azzam and Youssef Ben Attia; at the quarter and semi-final stages it had been three-nil wins. In the round of the last eight they overcame the Egypt ‘D’ Team duo of Marwan Nagy and Yehia Saad prior to reserving their place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to the Egypt ‘C’ partnership of Moamen Ashraf and Ziad El-Shawa.

Comfortable for Mohamed Azzam and Youssef Ben Attia; it had been somewhat different for Abdelbasset Chaichi and Regis Kiassi. At the quarter-final stage they had beaten Saudi Arabia’s Saud Almutaira and Fares Hunaidi by three matches to nil but in the penultimate round they needed the full five games to end the hopes of Egypt’s Youssef Abdelwahab and Nigeria’s Taiwo Mati.

The player to cause the problems was Taiwo Mati; he beat both Abdelbasset Chaichi (6-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-9) and Regis Kiassi (11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-3).

Play in the Cadet Boys’ Team event concluded, focus now turns the Cadet Boys’ Singles competition.