The Italian Junior and Cadet Open Championship – Table Tennis Preview
The Italian Junior and Cadet event of the International Table Tennis Federation starts today and will conclude on 6 March, 2011 in Lignano, Italy. This will be the fifth event of the ITTF Junior circuit of the year.
The event will host junior singles and doubles events, junior cadet singles, doubles and team events and mini cadet singles. On the first day junior singles events will be conducted. The total prize money of the tournament is $8000 and a maximum 230 entries
were allowed for the tournament.
There are players from over three continents including a large number of participants from Europe and Asia. Last year it was the Slovakian players who ruled the Italian junior Championship, as the singles girls and boys junior titles were won by Samuel Novota
and Barbora Balazova.
The major challenge of the tournament will be coming from Tristan Flore, Benjamin Brosseir and Lignano Sabbiardoro of France in the Junior Boys single event. Quentin Robinot will not be seen in action, but his younger brother Alexandre Robinot will be present
at the event.
Hugo Calderano of Brazil and Hungarians Adam Szudi and Eric Jouti are participating in the tournament. On the girls’ side, Laura Gasnier of France, who reached the quarter-finals of the last Swedish Junior and cadet open will also be competing.
This year, the host nations Leonardo Mutti will be the highlight of the tournament. The 15- year-old is playing a major role in opening a new era for the international table tennis circuit in Italy.
On the girls’ side, Lisa Trotti is a strong contender and she is capable of causing major upsets in the junior girls’ event. She is also contesting in the juniors Cadet singles girls’ event and is on the second seed in the tournament.
Maria Xiao from Portugal is a strong contender on the junior’s girl’s side, as she was the silver medallist in the Czech Junior Open earlier this year.
From the Asian region Clarence Chew, Pang Xue Ji and Isabelle Siyun are representing Singapore. Isabelle was the silver medallist in the last year’s youth Olympics, as she was the runner up of the last Swedish Open held at Orebro Sweden and is currently
holding the fifth position in the ITTF junior girls ranking.
Isabelle has participated in the ITTF junior event at Tokyo in 2009, the same year she won thrice in South America and finished on the first seed on the ITTF Juniors girl ranking. Both Isabelle and Maria are strong contenders for the ITTF junior Circuit
Grand Finale going to be held at Puerto Rico in the start of 2012.
From Hong Kong, Hang Ka Tak is taking part in Cadet Boys Singles and Soo Wai Yam the Hopes Girls Singles top seed are in action, along with 14-year-old Doo Hoi Kem.
The top doubles duo of the tournament on both boys and girls junior doubles side are from Tistan Flore and Alexandre Robinot from France along with Laura Gasnier and Anais Laveque. In the Junior Cadet doubles, duo of Hugo Calderano from Brazil and Nandor
Eceki of Hungary are on the top seed, as the Cadet girls duo is Doo Hoi Kem and Soo Wai Yam of Hong Kong.
The young table tennis players will be contesting to prove their playing skills and to make their place in the Grand final of the junior circuit this year.
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