A close semi-final success for Wong Chun Ting in the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Spanish Open in Almeria on Sunday 29th March over Japan’s Kenta Matsudaira (11-5, 10-12, 11-7, 4-11, 15-13, 7-11, 12-10) but it was not to be gold for Wong Ching.
Playing in his first ever ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles final, he was beaten by Maharu Yoshimura, the no.16 seed and also from Japan (11-8, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6).
Defeat for Wong Chun Ting but he can take solace in the fact that he beat two players en route to the final who had proved crucial to Japan’s bronze medal success in the Men’s event at the ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Championships in Tokyo.
Prior to beating Kenta Matsudaira, one day earlier he had ousted Koki Niwa, the no,2 seed, in an equally close duel (11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9).
However, confronting the unpredictable Maharu Yoshimura proved a very different task.
Never in the top 50, yet the 21 year, who won Junior Boys’ Singles titles on the ITTF Junior Circuit in 2011 in France and Korea, whilst emerging successful in Under 21 Men’s Singles competitions on the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour in Austria and Korea, can stun the aficionados in the tiered seating.
Crowned Asian Junior champion in New Delhi in 2011, the following year he beat Jun Mizutani in the final of the Men’s Singles event at the Japanese National Championships, before later in the year reaching the final of the GAC Group Asian Cup in Guangzhou. He was beaten China’s Xu Xin in the final.
Now three years later, against Wong Chun Ting, likewise playing in his first ever ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles final, it was success.
Defeat for Wong Chun Ting but there is more than a crumb of comfort.
In 2014, he was a semi-finalist; in 2015 it is one step higher, the runner up; in 2016?
Article by: Ian Marshall
Photo By: Courtesy of Jordi Mesa and Cristina Ruiz
http://www.hktta.org.hk/image/news/1150/MS%202-WONG%20Chun%20Ting(Award)_big.jpg
