by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

In the final he overcame Feng Yi-Hsin (11-9, 11-5, 12-10) in the second match of the fixture after Cristian Pletea had given Romania the perfect start by beating Li Hsin-Yang (11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6).

Trailing by two matches to nil, Chinese Taipei mounted a recovery. Tai Ming-Wei overcame Mihai Zamfir (11.5, 11-4, 11-9), before Feng Yi-Hsin levelled matters by accounting for Cristian Pletea (11-9, 11-5, 12-10).

Thus Romania’s title hopes rested on the shoulders of Rares Sipos; he duly responded; he prove too secure for Li Hsin-Yang, winning in three straight games to seal the victory (15-13, 11-7, 11-4).

Furthermore, the Chinese Taipei outfit was a team in form. After recording a three-one quarter-final success in opposition to Germany’s Cédric Meissner, Meng Fanbo and Kay Stumper, they accounted for the Chinese trio of Can Yantao, Xu Yingbin and Yuan Licen by three matches to two.

Star of the show was Feng Yi-Hsin. In the second match of the fixture he beat Yuan Licen (11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 11-13, 14-12), prior to in the fourth contest overcoming Xu Yingbin rather more comfortably (11-8, 11-6, 11-7). The win set the stage for Lee Hsin-Yang to seal the win. He duly responded; he overcame Yuan Licen in four games to secure victory (11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6).

A hard fought semi-final success for Chinese Taipei, for Romania who had received a direct entry to the penultimate round, life was less fraught; with Dragos Florin Oprea preferred to Mihai Zamfir, a three-one success was recorded against the combination of Japan’s Aoto Asazu and Takeru Kashiwa who joined forces with Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece.

Play in the junior events now over, the focus turns to the individual competitions in the cadet age group. Matters conclude on Sunday 27th May.