Staged in the Philippines in May, the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour tournament proved to be a first in more ways than one; not only was it the inaugural such event to be staged in the south east Asian country, it revealed a new name.
Against all expectations 17 year old Ho Kwan Kit emerged as the surprise Men’s Singles winner.
He created his own piece of table tennis history by becoming the first ever player, to enter an ITTF World Tour tournament with no World ranking and emerge as the winner.
Clear Goal
Immediately after his victory he explained that he possessed a definite ambition and hoped that his win in Subic Bay might strengthen his claim.
He stated clearly that he wanted to represent Hong Kong in the forthcoming Wisdom 2014 World Junior Championships which start in Shanghai on Sunday 30th November. The wish has been granted, he lines up alongside Hung Ka Tak, Li Hon Ming and Kwan Man Ho.
Furthermore, is Kwan Man Ho the player who can enable Hong Kong to gain a place on the medal podium? Is he the lynch pin for medal success?
Top Two Seeds
Japan led by Yuto Muramatsu with Yuma Tsuboi, Asuka Sakai and Kazuhiro Yoshimura in support are the second seeds in the Boys’ Team event in Shanghai; China represented by Liang Jingkun, Yu Ziyang, Lyu Xiang and Wang Chuqin are the top seeds.
On home soil the Chinese outfit will prove difficult to beat unless the pressure of expectation sees them perform below par but what of Japan? Are they within the reach of Hong Kong? Is China the only team which realistically is a step too far?
Mesmeric
At the recent Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games, Yuto Muramatsu mesmerised all adversaries bar one; the exception was the mighty Fan Zhendong, who after early problems in the Men’s Singles and Team event eventually overpowered the teenage Japanese defender.
In Shanghai, Yuto Muramatsu is very much the pivotal player for Japan in the Boys’ Team event they look to him to win both his matches. Also he is the Boys’ Singles top seed.
Met Twice
However, just as in Nanjing, in Shanghai there is one player who has proved the master of Yuto Muramatsu; his name Ho Kwan Kit.
Ho Kwan Kit and Yuto Muramatsu have met on two previous occasions in World ranking events; on both occasions Ho Kwan Kit has won and neither duel has required a deciding game.
They met in the qualification group stage of the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour China Open in Chengdu in June; Ho Kwan Kit won in six games.
Later in September they confronted each other at the quarter-final stage of the Junior Boys’ Team event at the Reliance 20th Asian Junior and Cadet Championships in Mumbai, India. On that occasion, Ho Kwan Kit overcame Yuto Muramatsu in four games and it that contest which could well have great relevance at the forthcoming Wisdom 2014 World Junior Championships.
Relevant Result
Hong Kong emerged successful by three matches to one; furthermore, both outfits fielded players who will be on duty in Shanghai. In Mumbai, Li Hon Ming and Hung Ka Tak joined forces with Ho Kwan Kit; Asuka Sakai and Yuma Tsuboi completed the Japanese line-up.
Ho Kwan Kit remained unbeaten; in addition to his success against Yuto Muramatsu in the contest that brought matters to a close, he accounted for Asuka Sakai with the one further win being secured by Hung Ka Tak. In the third match of the fixture, he beat Yuma Tsuboi; the one win for Japan being secured by Yuto Muramatsu in the opening match of the engagement against Li Hon Ming.
One round later, at the semi-final stage Hong Kong suffered a three-nil defeat against China who fielded the trio of Yu Ziyang, Liang Jingkun and Zhou Qihao; both Yi Ziyang and Liang Jingkun will be in action in Shanghai.
Leading Outfits
At Wisdom 2014 World Junior Championships, Hong Kong occupies the fifth seeded position in the Boys’ Team event.
The third seeds are Korea (Park Ganghyeon, Cho Seungmin, Kim Minhyeok, Lee Jangmok) with Chinese Taipei (Yang Heng-Wei, Peng Wang-Wei, Wang Tai-Wei, Lin Hsueh-Yu) being the fourth seeds.
The presence of Ho Kwan Kit suggests, Hong Kong is very much the equal of the three teams seeded immediately above them in Shanghai.
Disappointment in Rabat
In addition, there is the motivation of one year ago in Rabat, when in the group stage of proceedings, they finished in third place in their group behind Japan and Poland; they were the seventh seeds and failed to secure a quarter-final place. Eventually they concluded matters in ninth place.
Only Li Hon Ming remains of the outfit of one year ago and in the Boys’ Singles event in Rabat he was Hong Kong’s leading player. He reached the third round losing to Brazil’s Hugo Calderano.
Girls Shine
Hong Kong has been a regular participant in the World Junior Championships since the tournament was first staged in 2003 in Chile but it has tended to be the girls who have outshone the boys.
Notably one year ago the trio of Doo Hoi Kem, Lam Yee Lok and Minnie Soo Wai Yam secured bronze in the Girls’ Team event losing narrowly to Japan’s Mima Ito, Miu Hirano and Sakura Mori in a full distance five match contest.
Equally in 2009 in Cartagena de Indias Lee Ho Ching and Ng Wing Nam reached the semi-final stage of the Girls’ Doubles event.
Boys’ Turn
Now in 2014 with Ho Kwan Kit on duty could it be the turn of the Hong Kong boys?
In addition the Team event, he is the fifth seed in the Boys’ Singles, the second seed in the Boys’ Doubles with Hung Ka Tak and the top seed in the Mixed Doubles with Doo Hoi Kem.
Girls Again
Or will the girls again prevail over the boys.
Doo Hoi Kem is the top seed in the Girls’ Singles event; once again Lam Yee Lok and Minnie Soo Wai Yam appear in the Girls’ Team line-up with Liu Qi completing the squad; Doo Hoi Kem and Minnie Soo Wai Yam are the fourth seeds in the Girls’ Doubles competition.
Best Ever
Boys’ or girls; the evidence points in one direction, potentially Shanghai could be Hong Kong’s best ever World Junior Championships.
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