Two Unexpected Winners at the ITTF WJC Finals
October 29, 2007

Seo Hyun Deok Photo Courtesy of ITTF

Courtesy of ITTF The ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals saw two unexpected winners. The Korean Seo Hyun Deok overcame Russia’s Mikhail Paykov with 4-3 while Japan’s Misako Wakamiya beat Ma Wenting with 4-1. The finals of the World Cadet Challenge ended with Asian winners but Europe as the best continent overall.

Video Analyses
There was little to choose between Seo and Paykov in a spectacular match. The Russian had one match point in the sixth game but failed to convert. "I lost the first time we played each other", Seo said after the final. "That’s why I studied his style. I think this was the key today."

Wakamiya Took Her Last Chance
In the Girls’ Final, Japan’s Misako Wakamiya overcame Ma Wenting recording a 4-1 victory. The Japanese left-hander dominated her Norwegian opponent of Chinese origin throughout most of the contest.

"I’m very happy to win here", Wakamiya explained, "because I’m already 18 years old and this was my last chance to win the tournament."

Surprising Victories over Drinkhall and Samara
The top seeded players Paul Drinkhall and Romania’s Elizabeta Samara were beaten in the semi finals. Englishman Drinkhall lost against Paykov in four straight games, Samara’s gold medal dream ended against Wakamiya.

The Final Day of the World Cadet Challenge Became an Asian Day
The winner of the Boys’ Singles event is called Song Hongyuan. On his way to the gold medal, Song eliminated three Europeans. "The first two games were very close", said Song after the final against Frenchman Thomas Le Breton. "Afterwards I controlled the match pretty well."

The Best Cadet Girl Comes from Japan
The 15 year old Japanese Misaki Morizono overcame team mate Ayuka Tanioka 4-1 in the final of the Girls’ Singles event. "I came to win three gold medals", Morizono confessed, "but when I missed the first two ones, I really concentrated to win the last one."

Doubles Competitions Were Europe’s Nightmare
Thomas Le Breton and the German Patrick Franziska were the favorites in the final match against the Koreans Lee Seung Jun and Shin In Cheol. The Korean boys however won 3-2.

There was no luck for Cristina HIRICI from Romania and Magdalena Szczerkowska from Poland either. Lee Ho Ching from Hong Kong and Korea’s Yang Ha Eun overcame the Europeans. The Asians came through a most difficult situation in the fourth game where the European pair was only two points away from victory at 10-10.

Comfort for Europe
The final day in Cape Town was for sure not a European day. The players of the old continent lost all the finals where they participated. Therefore the gold in the Boys’ Teams event (the first ever) remained the only one.

The overall team result however shows that Europe had a well-balanced team on a high level. Le Breton, Hirici and company finished marginally ahead of Asia in the overall team places. The third place goes to Latin America.