China and Japan, the top two seeds in the Girls’ Team event at the 2013 ITTF World Junior Championships in Rabat, booked their places in the final following penultimate round successes on the early evening of Tuesday 3^rd December.

Victories for the favourites but the wins were gained in totally different fashions.

Yan Sen, the Girls’ Team coach, endured no nervous moments, Oh Kwang Hun, the Japanese coach; I doubt he has any finger nails remaining! He suffered every moment as the fixture ebbed and flowed.

China Imperious
China, supremely efficient from the very first point, never offered a crumb of charity against Romania; they posted a three matches to nil victory in an imperious fashion.

Watching the trio of Gu Yuting, Liu Gaoyang and Wang Manyu in action; one wonders how many outfits at a World Team Championships would prove serious challengers? I’ll give my vote to the China first team, for the rest of womankind it would be a challenging experience.

Straight Games Wins
Gu Yuting beat Adina Diaconu (11-8, 11-6, 11-5), Liu Gaoyang accounted for Irina Ciobanu (11-9, 11-2, 11-5) with Wang Manyu brining matters to a very swift conclusion by overcoming Bernadett Balint (11-5, 11-4, 11-4).

Noticeably Bernadette Szocs, hitherto unbeaten in the whole tournament and very much the backbone on Romania’s march to the penultimate round, did not gain selection.

Battle Royal
However, the duel between Japan and Hong Kong was a battle royal.

Mima Ito gave Japan the ideal start; she beat Minnie Soo Wai Yam by the very narrowest of margins (11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 14-12). Doo Hoi Kem, very much on the brink of a call to the Hong Kong Women’s Team accounted for Miu Hirano (11-8, 11-8, 11-3), before Japan once again gained the advantage.

Doo Hoi Kem Outstanding
Sakura Mori overcame Lam Yee Lok (12-10, 11-3, 11-3) before Doo Hoi Kem levelled proceedings by defeating Mima Ito (11-8, 11-3, 12-10).

Parity, Miu Hirano and Minnie Soo Wai Yam were entrusted with the task of determining the outcome; the decision went in favour of Miu Hirano (16-14, 9-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7).

Sheer Drama
However, the mere score-line does not tell the drama that unfolded.

The first three games had all been close, all decided on the proverbial knife-edge. In the fourth game Miu Hirano led 9-8, she was approaching the winning line. Oh Kwang Hun, the Japanese National Coach, called “Time Out”.

Service Query
It appeared to be a very shrewd move; Miu Hirano won the next point, she held two match points.

Serving, Minnie Soo Wai Yam saved the first match point. On the next point she served, Miu Hirano did not attempt to return the ball, believing the ball had grazed the shirt of Minnie Soo Wai Yam during the service action. Both officials believed the service to have been legal; the point was awarded to Minnie Soo Wai Yam who progressed to secure the next two points and the game.

Learning from Experience
 “I should have played that point at 10-9”, said Miu Hirano. “The umpire made the decision, it was my mistake.”

High Level
A deciding fifth game beckoned with Minnie Soo Wai Yam establishing a 6-4 lead in a game full of fast close to the table counter topspin rallies; a high standard encounter between two very young players.

Minnie Soo Wai Yam is 15 years old. Miu Hirano is only 13 years old.

Momentum Change
It appeared the momentum was swinging in favour of Minnie Soo Wai Yam; in fact it swung in exactly the opposite direction.

Miu Hirano lost just one more point; she proved marginally the more consistent.

Consistency a Key
 “I was very nervous before the match”, admitted Miu Hirano. “In the fifth game I just kept trying my best and following the advice of my coach.”

Undoubtedly, an important element of the advice was to keep the ball on the table, stay close and be consistent; Miu Hirano did just that and duly succeeded.

Belief Repaid
It was a relieved and delighted Oh Kwang Hun at the conclusion of the contest.

“I trusted Miu, I believed in her”, he said; the belief was repaid and repaid with interest.

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall

Photo by: Rémy Gros