by Ian Marshall, Editor

Lee Yonghun, Finn Luu and Nicholas Lum combined to win the junior boys’ team title, in the concluding contest in a group organised event, they recorded a 3-0 win against the New Zealand trio formed by Park Sang-Yong, Nathan Xu and Maxwell Hendersson.

Success in an impressive manner, in the cadet girls’ team final it was the same outcome. Constantina Psihogios and Chermaine Quah accounted for New Zealand’s Takaimaania Ngata-Henare and Minette Whitehead.

Two further titles for the green and gold came after earlier in the day Finn Luu and Parleen Kaur had won the junior mixed doubles title, at the same time as Isaiah Lee and Constantina Psihogios had claimed the top prize in the cadet mixed doubles competition.

After having accounted for colleagues Hayden Green and Matilda Alexandersson (11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5), Finn Luu and Parleen Kaur recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat New Zealand’s Nathan Xu and Zhiu Jiayi (7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7) to reserve the top step of the podium. In the counterpart semi-final, Nathan Xu and Zhiu Jiayi had ousted Australia’s Nicholas Lum and Michelle Wu (11-7, 11-8, 13-11).

A close call for Nathan Xu and Zhiu Jiayi, for Isaiah Lee and Constantina Psihogios life was less exacting. In the title decider, the duo overcame Australian colleagues, Raymond Zhang and Chermaine Quah (13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8), having in the semi-final round beaten New Zealand’s Jack Chen and Takaimaania Ngata-Henare (11-3, 11-6, 11-7).

Bronze for New Zealand, notably there was also bronze for the Cook Islands; Mel Ivati and Marenga Tua were the semi-final opponents for Raymond Zhang and Chermaine Quah, a straight games defeat being the verdict (11-7, 11-7, 11-6).

Proceedings very much according to status but as play commenced in the group phase of the junior boys’ singles event, there was a surprise; Park Sang-Yong, the no.3 seed, was beaten by Isaiah Lee (11-4, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4). Otherwise, for the leading names there were no hiccups. Nathan Xu, Lee Yonghun and Hayden Green all ended the day unbeaten as in the junior girls’ singles event did the top four names in the guise of Parleen Kaur, Zhou Jiyi, Michelle Wu and Matilda Alexandersson.

Meanwhile, two groups in the initial phase of both the cadet boys’ singles and cadet girls’ singles competitions; in the former Finn Lu, Nicholas Lum and Jack Chen remained unbeaten, as did Fiji’s Vicky Wu. Likewise, in the latter, Chermaine Quah, Constantina Psiogios and Takaimaania Ngata-Henare kept a clean sheet, a feat also achieved by New Zealand’s Minette Whitehead.

Play in Nuku’alofa concludes in Saturday 10th August.