16 Aug 2018

A place in the forthcoming Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games booked, on Tuesday 14th August, at the 2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Manav Vikash Thakkar was India’s hero of the hour.

Contrary to expectations, he guided the third seeds to the final of the Junior Boys’ Team event where China awaits.

by Ian Marshall, Editor

Supported throughout the day by Manush Utpalbhai Shah and Snehit Suravajjula, he remained unbeaten as three-one wins were recorded at both the quarter and semi-final stages. The first to suffer was the Chinese Taipei outfit formed by Feng Yi-Hsin, Li Hsing-Yang and Peng Chih; the next Iran’s Amin Ahmadian, Amirreza Abbasi and Arya Amiri.

Against Chinese Taipei, Manav Vikash Thakkar beat both Li Hsin-Yang (19-17, 5-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9) and Feng Yi-Hsin (9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8); later facing Iran, he accounted for Amirreza Abbasi (11-7, 11-3, 11-5), followed by success against Amin Ahmadian (11-8, 11-7, 11-7).

A bronze medal for Iran, the no.6 seeds and a well-earned bronze medal; at the quarter-final stage they had caused a major upset by ousting the no.2 seeds, Korea Republic’s Cho Daeseong, Kwak Yubin and Choi Inhyeok.

Mainstay of the three-two success was Amin Ahmadian; in the second match of the fixture he beat Kwak Yubin (11-9, 11-7, 11-7), dramatically in the fourth contest he saved one match point in the fifth game against Cho Daeseong before securing victory (11-9, 10-12, 11-4, 9-11, 13-11). Matters level, Amirreza Abbasi accounted for Kwak Yubin (11-8, 11-7, 3-11, 11-9) to seal the semi-final place.

Meanwhile for China with Xu Yingbin, Niu Guankai and Xiang Peng on duty there were no such moments of drama. A three-nil win was recorded against the Hong Kong outfit formed by Pau Yik Man, Maurice Kai Ning and Baldwin Chan Ho Wah, before a three-one success was posted against Japan’s Yuta Tanaka, Yukiya Uda and Shunsuke Togami.

The final of the Junior Boys’ Team event will be played on Wednesday 15th August.

Prospectus, Schedule, Entries, Draws, Results

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Prospectus

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Schedule of Play

 

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Seeding – Junior Boys’ Team

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Seeding – Junior Girls’ Team

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Seeding – Cadet Boys’ Team

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Seeding – Cadet Girls’ Team

 

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries – Junior Boys’ Singles

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries – Junior Girls’ Singles

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries – Junior Boys’ Doubles

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries – Junior Girls’ Doubles

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries – Junior Mixed Doubles

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries – Cadet Boys’ Singles

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries – Cadet Girls’ Singles

 

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Boys’ Team and Cadet Boys’ Team – Stage One (Monday 13th & Tuesday 14th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Boys’ Team – Stage One – Detailed Results (Monday 13th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Boys’ Team – Main Draw (Tuesday 14th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Boys’ Team – Stage One – Detailed Results (Monday 13th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Boys’ Team – Main Draw (Tuesday 14th August)

 

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Girls Team & Cadet Girls’ Team – Stage One – Results (Monday 13th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Girls’ Team – Stage One – Detailed Results (Monday 13th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Girls’ Team – Stage One – Detailed Results (Monday 13th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Girls’ Team – Main Draw (Tuesday 14th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Girls’ Team – Main Draw (Tuesday 14th August)

2018 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships Manav Vikash Thakkar