At the Guatemala Junior and Cadet Open the previous week, one title in the cadet age group category had eluded India; the Cadet Boys' Singles event was won by Cuba Livan Martinez.

The following week at the El Salvador Junior and Cadet Open, on the concluding day of play, Friday 16th August 2013, it was the same scenario; one cadet title eluded India hands and, as in neighbouring Guatemala, it was the Cadet Boys' Singles crown.

Only on that occasion the player to dent the Indian treasure chest was not from Cuba, the perpetrator in El Salvador was from Hong Kong; 15 year old Kwan Man Ho emerged as the champion.

Second Seed
Occupying the second seeded position in the draw, in the latter stages he accounted for Mexico Damien Arce, the no. 9 seed, in the quarter-finals (9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-6), before overcoming India Birdie Boro, the no.4 seed in the penultimate round (11-7, 13-11, 11-9) to book his place in the final.

A place in the gold medal match secured; he beat Birdie Boro compatriot, Arjun Ghosh (8-11, 15-13, 11-8, 14-12) to secure the title.

Surprise Finalist 
The appearance of Arjun Ghosh in the final was somewhat of a surprise; he has no World ranking.

In the round of the last eight he accounted for Peru Juan Liyau, the no.8 seed (11-3, 11-7, 11-3), before accounting for compatriot and namesake, Arjun Ghosh in the penultimate round (11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10).

No gold for India in the Cadet Boys' Singles event but in the remaining competitions in the age group it was the top prize.

Surprise Winner
However, in the Cadet Girls' Singles event there was a surprise winner, Moumita Das, like Arjun Ghosh a player with no World ranking, emerged as the champion.

In the final she accounted for Spain Zhang Xuan, the no.2 seed, by the very narrowest of margins in a full distance five games duel (11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-13, 11-9), having at the semi-final stage beaten compatriot and top seed Sagarika Mukherjee in five games (11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 14-12, 11-5).

One round earlier, she ousted Sreeja Akula, also from India and with no global listing (9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7).

Adjacent Half of Draw
Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw, Zhang Xuan had beaten the India Harsha Vardhini Calange Ravichandran in the quarter-finals (8-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-3) and Aishwarya Pathak, also from India in the penultimate round (11-9, 11-6, 11-7).

Neither Harsha Vardhini Calange Ravichandran nor Aishwarya Pathak possess a World ranking.

Doubles Gold
Success for India in the Cadet Girls' Singles event, it was also success in both the Cadet Boys' Doubles and Cadet Girls' Doubles competitions.

Anirban Ghosh and Arjun Ghosh joined forces to win the Cadet Boys' Doubles title beating colleagues Birdie Boro and Lalrin Puia in the final (10-12, 11-4, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8); whilst in the counterpart Cadet Girls' Doubles event it was success for Moumita Dutta and Sagarika Mukherjee.

At the final hurdle they accounted for Peru Valeria Cuba and Andrea Guzman (14-12, 11-8, 12-10).

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall

Photo by: Donald Chin