2016 Spanish Junior & Cadet Open – ITTF Junior Circuit
Top seeds the Japanese outfit formed by Koyo KANAMITSU Yu KAYAMA and Yukiya UDA secured the Junior Boys’ Team title at the 2016 Spanish Junior and Cadet Open in Platja d’Aro.
Japan beat the Czech Republic trio of Patrik KLOS Jiri MARTINKO and Tomas POLANSKY in the final of the Junior Boys’ Event. Czech Republic commenced matters as the no.5 seeds causing an upset of note when beating the second seeded Russian combination of Artur ABUSEV Denis IVONIN and Nikita YARUSHIN at the semi-final stage. Following a three-nil success against the outfit comprising the Japanese duo of Aoto ASAZU and Takeru KASHIKWA who joined forces with Finland’s Veeti VALASTI the no.12 seeds the Czech trio excelled expectations to record a three-two semi-final success against the highly rated Russians.
A direct entry to the penultimate round Japan reserved their place in the final courtesy of a three-nil success being recorded against the Austrian trio of Thomas GRININGER Maciej KOLODZIEJCZK and Andreas LEVENKO the no.4 seeds.
In the counterpart Cadet Boys’ Team competition the top seeds the partnership formed by Maksim GREBNEV and Vladislav MAKAROV suffered a three-two penultimate round defeat at the hands of the German ‘B’ Team comprising Kirill FADEEV and Sven HENNING. Success for Germany ‘B’ but it was to be runners up spot; in the final seniority prevailed. Germany ‘A’ represented by Daniel RINDERER and Kay STUMPER emerged successful by three match to one.
Gold silver and bronze medallists in the Junior Girls’ Singles event two days earlier Miyu NAGASAKI Kana TAKEUCHI and Yuko KATO maintained their form to secure the Junior Girls’ Team title.The top seeded billing was justified but in the final they were given a stern test by the second seeds the Russian outfit comprising Maria MALANINA Valeria SHCHERBATYKH and Maria TAYLOKOVA.
Defeat for Russia in the final of the Junior Girls’ Team event; not in the counterpart Cadet Girls’ Team competition. At the semi-final the combination of Anastasia KOLISH and Ekaterina ZIRONOVA overcame the Spain ‘A’ Team duo of Carmen HENARES and Emma RUIZ by three matches to nil before recording the same verdict in the final when confronting the Czech Republic’s Gabriela STEPANOVA and Zdena BLASKOVA.
Koyo KANAMITSU the no.5 seed he beat Yukiya Uda the no.2 seed in six games to secure his first ever ITTF World Junior Circuit Boys’ Singles title. In addition he clinched the Junior Boys’ Doubles title in partnership with Yu KAYAMA. Impressively at the final hurdle the duo accounted for the German combination of Gerrit ENGEMANN and Jannik XU.
Winner in the Czech Republic the first ITTF World Junior Circuit Tournament on this year’s calendar Japan’s Miyu NAGASAKI repeated the feat at the 2016 Spanish Junior and Cadet Open. In the final she beat Japanese colleague Kana TAKEUCHI the no.2 seed