Shi Xunyao unbeaten for China (Photo: Table Tennis Association of Thailand)
Powerhouse China continued their dominance at the junior level by winning both the boys’ and girls team titles at the World Junior Table Tennis Championships in Korat, Thailand.
The top seeded Chinese girls defeated Japan 3-1 in the final while their boys whitewashed Chinese Taipei 3-0 for the titles respectively.
Japan, with Asian junior champion Miyu Nagasaki in the first singles, was hoping for a winning start in the girls final. It was a repeat of the finals two years ago with Miyu going up against Shi Xunyao in the opening singles.
However, the Swedish and Japan World Tour champion, was unable to get the better of Shi Xunyao, whom she had beaten then. Xunyao came back from two games down to beat the Japanese ace 11-13, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.
China continued their winning ways when Kuai Man defeated Kyoka Idesawa 13-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-6 in the second singles. Miyuu Kihara gave the Japnese a glimmer of hope when she overcame Chen Yi 11-3, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7 in the next match.
But Xunyao turned out to be the bane for the Japanese as she returned to action to hand Kyoka Idesawa a 10-12, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8 defeat to clinch China’s unprecedented 15th world crown.
It was also the 15th title for the Chinese boys as they demolished Chinese Taipei, all in the straight games.
Xiang Peng, whose win over Shunsuke Togami in the vital fifth and deciding match against Japan , earned them a place in the final started the ball rolling for the Chinese boys.
He gave China the perfect start by overcoming Feng Yi-Hsin 11-9, 11-8, 11-7. It was followed by Xu Yingbin who accounted for Tai Ming-Wei 11-7, 11-7, 11-7.
Liu Yebo clinched the winning point for China when he overcame Huang Yan-Cheng 11-6, 11-7, 11-9.
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