Zhu Chengzhu Captures Career First Junior Circuit Title

A previous best of a quarter-final finish in Korea and Chinese Taipei in 2014, Hong Kong’s Zhu Chengzhu captured her first ever ITTF Junior Circuit Girls’ Singles title, when she emerged successful at the 2015 Italian Junior and Cadet in Lignano Sabbiadoro on Thursday 5th March.

Occupying the top seeded position in the draw, the 18 year old was never extended the full seven games distance en route to gold.

After overcoming Austria’s Karoline Mischek (11-8, 11-7, 11-9, 11-3), she accounted for Croatia’s Dorina Srebrnjak (11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7) to reserve her place in the quarter-finals where her good form continued.

She overcome Alina Nikitchanka of Belarus, the no.5 seed (11-1, 8-11, 11-9, 8-11, 13-11, 11-3), before ending the hopes of Hungary’s Orsolya Feher (11-7, 11-8, 11-2, 12-10) and Croatia’s Klara Cakol (15-13, 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6) to secure the title.

Defeat for Orsolya Feher and Klara Cakol but both had exceeded all expectations to reach the latter stage; both had been required to compete in the qualification group stage of proceedings and both had caused major upsets in the main draw.

Coincidentally, they had been drawn in the same group in the initial phase of the competition with Orsolya Feher overcoming Klara Cakol in three straight games (11-5, 11-7, 15-13) to secure first place.

In the main draw, after beating Portugal’s Marta Santos in six games (11-6, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-13, 15-13), Orsolya Feher caused a major third round upset by halting the progress of Japan’s Miyuu Kihara, the no.4 seed, in  straight games (12-10, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8).

One upset was immediately followed by another; Orsolya Feher accounted for Romania’s Arina Singeorzan, the no.7 seed in a six games duel (11-3, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7) to book her rendezvous with Zhu Chengzhu.

Likewise, Klara Cakol caused a series of upsets.

After overcoming Switzerland’s Céline Reust (11-7, 2-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-1), she beat Portugal’s Rita Fins, the no.11 seed (11-3, 4-11, 11-7, 14-12, 9-11, 13-11) and Hungary’s Leila Imre, the no.8 seed (11-7, 12-10, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5) to reserve her place in the quarter-finals where the good form continued.

She accounted for Italy’s Jamile Laurenti (8-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8), a player who likewise had caused a third round upset; she had beaten Hong Kong’s Mak Tze Wing, the no.3 seed (7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3, 13-11).

A series of fine performances but the finest was yet to come; at the semi-final stage she ousted Belgium’s Lisa Lung, the no.2 seed (11-5, 13-11, 2-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-3) to reserve her place in the final.

It was to defeat in the final but for Karol Cakol it was new horizons.

Surprises in the Junior Girls’ Singles event but the upsets did not arise to the same extent in the Junior Girls’ Doubles competition, where the top four seeds reached the penultimate round.

There were no surprises prior to the semi-finals but then the upsets accrued.

The Belarus pairing of Alina Nikitchanka and Hanna Patseyeva, the no.3 seeds, beat the top seeded partnership of Lisa Lung and Zhu Chengzhu (11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 9-11, 11-6); whilst in the opposite half of the draw Japan’s Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki, the no.4 seeds, defeated Hong Kong’s Liu Qi and Mak Tze Wing the no.2 seeds (11-9, 11-5, 11-9).

Two surprises but not in the final, Alina Nikitchanka and Hanna Patseyeva combined to secure the title, overcoming Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki in a five games contest (11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 3-11, 11-4).

Article by : ITTF - Ian Marshall
Photo by : An Sungho