Runner up in the cadet girls’ singles event at the 2019 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships staged in early September in Ulaanbaator; following success against Egypt’s Hana Goda (11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5), Kaho Akae accounted for Romania’s Elena Zaharia (11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-5, 13-15, 11-8) to seal the title.

In the adjacent semi-final Elena Zaharia had ended the progress of Lee Yeonhui (11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 14-12).

Even more exacting

Hard fought contest, tense moments but not quite the level experienced by Darius Movileanu, the young man who had won the cadet boys’ singles title at the European Youth Championships held in August in Ostrava.

At the semi-final stage he beat Japan’s Sora Matsushima by the minimal two point margin in the deciding seventh game (11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-13, 11-9), before doing exactly the same in the final when facing Korea Republic’s Jang Seongil (7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4).

Almost colleagues met

Gold for Romania and it was almost an all Romanian final; in the corresponding penultimate round contest, Jang Seongil had been required to recover from a two games to nil deficit to beat Iulian Chirita (7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4).

Notably, in the boys’ team event when representing the Hopes against Europe, Iulian Chirita had beaten his colleague, Darius Movileanu (13-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5). Had they met again would revenge have been gained? We’ll never know.

Silver for Iulian Chirita

Bronze for Ilulian Chirita, in the boys’ doubles event it was silver.

Partnering Singapore’s Izaac Quek Yong, after accounting for Poland’s Milosz Redzimski and Mateusz Zalewski (11-9, 11-3, 11-6), they experienced defeat when opposing Sora Matsushima and Navid Shams (6-11, 11-4, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6). In the opposite half of the draw, Sora Matsushima and Navid Shams had beaten the combination of the Czech Republic’s Simon Belik and Russia’s Denis Izumdrunov (11-6, 11-4, 11-9) to reserve their place in the title decider.

Impressive performances

Imposing performances, it was the same in the girls’ doubles from Kaho Akae and Lee Yeonhui.

Following success against Poland’s Anna Brzyska and Zuzanna Wielgos (12-10, 11-3, 11-6), they accounted for Elena Zaharia and Russia’s Vlada Voronina to emerge the champions (12-10, 11-5, 13-11, 11-5). In the opposite half of the draw in the penultimate round Vlada Voronina and Elena Zaharia had ousted the Latin American partnership of Mexico’s Arantxa Cossio Aceves and Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi (11-7, 11-7, 11-9).

Silver medals for Elena Zaharia but there was gold; in an event where players drew at random for partners, partnering Izaac Quek Yong the duo overcame the combination of Poland’s Mateusz Zalewski and Croatia’s Hana Arapovic (5-11, 11-8, 11-4) to emerge the winners.