French Junior & Cadet Open Ends on High Note

February 22, 2016

Vladimir Sidorenko and Miyu Nagasaki End Metz Experience on High Note
2016 French Junior & Cadet Open
Courtesy of ITTF

One day earlier Vladimir Sidorenko had played a vital role in Russia’s gold medal success in the Cadet Boys’ Team event in the city of Metz; one week earlier Japan’s Miyu Nagasaki had emerged as the Cadet Girls’ Singles champion in Hodonin at the Czech Junior and Cadet Open.

On Sunday February 20th at the 2016 French Junior Open, both were number one.

Vladimir Sidorenko maintained the form of the previous day to win the Cadet Boys’ Singles title; Miyu Nagsasaki repeated the form of the previous week to be crowned Cadet Girls’ Singles champion.

Route to Gold
The no.3 seed, Vladimir Sidorenko recovered from a two games to nil deficit to account for colleague, Maksim Grebenov, the no.8 seed, at the final hurdle (9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6), having earlier succeeded with few great difficulties.

At the quarterfinal stage he overcame Hong Kong’s Lau Cuh Kit, the no.25 seed (11-9, 11-6, 11-3) before defeating Singapore’s Pan Yew En Koen, the no.6 seed (11-8, 11-8, 11-7) to reserve his place in the final.

Difficult to Play Colleague
“I really wanted to win here, I don’t like to play against Russian players because we train together, so we know very well each other”, said Vladimir Sidorenko. “Moreover, Maksim is my doubles partner so that made it an even more special match; after the two first games, I began to play strongly while he played more passively, so I was able to recover to win the match.”

Opposite Half of Draw
In the opposite half of the draw, in the latter stages, Maksim Grebenev caused somewhat of an upset by beating Japan’s Yukiya Uda, the top seed, in the quarter-finals (7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 3-11, 11-3), prior to reserving his place in the final courtesy of success against compatriot, Lev Katsman, the no.3 seed (9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-9).

A surprise defeat for Yukiya Uda; there was also a surprise defeat for his colleague Yu Kayama, the no.2 seed. He was beaten in the third round by Frenchman Dorian Zheng (8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9), who in the very next round, the quarter-finals, suffered at the hands of Pan Yew En (11-8, 11-8, 11-7).

Likewise Beat Eighth Seed
Success for Vladimir Sidorenko in the final against the eighth seed, it was the same for Miyu Nagasaki.

She accounted for the host nation’s Prithika Pavade in the final (11-6, 11-7, 11-3), having in the two immediately preceding round cause Hong Hong despair.
In the round of the last eight she beat Leung Ka Wan, the no.14 seed (11-4, 11-2, 11-5), before reserving her place in the final following success against Wong Chin Yau, the no.5 seed (11-6, 11-5, 11-3).

Most Difficult Match
“The most difficult match was the semi-final against Wong Chin Yau because she’s a strong player and we had already played before, we played in the Junior Girls’ Singles event and it was very tight”, said Miyu Nagasaki. “Of course, I’m very happy with this result.”

They met in the second round of the Junior Girls’ Singles event when Miyu Nagasaki had won by the narrowest of decisions in seven games (11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 6-11, 11-2, 6-11, 11-9).

Furthermore the win against Wong Chin Yau in the Cadet Girls’ Singles event was a win against a layer in form. At the quarterfinal stage, she had beaten the Czech Republic’s Zdena Blaskova, the no.4 seed (11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7).

Major Upset
In the adjacent half of the draw, at the quarterfinal stage Prithika Pavade had caused a major upset by beating Russia’s Kristina Kazantseva, the no.2 seed (9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 11-7) before causing Hong Kong further anguish by overcome Lee Ka Yee, the no.3 seed.

Hong Kong and France Enjoy Success
Defeats for Lee Ka Yee and Wong Chin Yau but there was success; they won the Cadet Girls’ Doubles event beating Russia’s Kristina Kasantseva and Elina Rub in the final (11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2).

Gold for Hong Kong, in the Cadet Boys’ Doubles competition it was gold and silver for the host nation.

An all French final saw Bilal Hamache and Vincent Picard recover from a two games to nil deficit to beat Jules Cavaille and Dorian Zheng by the very narrowest of five games margins (12-14, 4-11, 11-2, 11-7, 13-11).

Results

Junior Boys Singles Final: Joe Seyfried (FRA) def. Lai Chi-Chien (TPE) 4-1 (11-8,7-11,12-10,11-2,11-2)
Junior Girls Singles Final: Kato Yuko (JPN) def. Daria Chernoray Daria (RUS) 4-0 (11-6,11-9,11-4,11-6)
Cadet Boys Singles Final: Vladimir Sidorenko (RUS) def. Maksim Grebnev (RUS) 3-2 (9-11,8-11,11-7,11-5,11-6)
Cadet Girls Singles Final: Nagasaki Miyu (JPN) def. Prithika Pavade (FRA) 3-0 (11-6,11-7,11-3)
Junior Boys Teams Final: Japan A def. Japan B 3-0
Junior Girls Teams Final: Russia def. Hong Kong 3-0
Cadet Boys Teams Final: Russia def. Azerbaijan 3-1
Cadet Girls Teams Final: Hong Kong def. Russia 3-1