Youngest Winner
Success for Kanak Jha, born on Monday on Monday 19th June 2000, becomes the first player to win a Continental title born this century and could he be a threat to China𠏋 Yu Ziyang?
Just under one week ago, Yu Ziyang; born on Friday 23rd May 1998, at the age of 16 years and 30 days became the youngest ever winner of an ITTF World Tour Men𠏋 Singles when he succeeded in Yokohama last Sunday.
Could Kanak Jha surpass that record?
In fact can Kanak Jha beat the record of the youngest ever ITTF World Tour winner; on Sunday 21st September 2003 when Guo Yue won the Women𠏋 Singles title at the Volkswagen Open Japan on Sunday 21st September 2003, she was 15 years and 66 days old.
Nearly Never Happened
Success in Burnaby against all expectations for Kanak Jha and it was an achievement that nearly never happened!
鐈e wasn't on the original entry list when the deadline was over�, explained Zoltan Benczik, the ITTF Competition Manager on duty. 孏he United States entered him only when they were given two extra places after not receiving any entries from Bermuda.�
An opportunity was afforded, the opportunity was seized.
Totally Unexpected
𨧻 never expected to come to the finals and even make it to the World Cup�, said Kanak Jha. 𨧻 am very happy and I definitely will play my best there; it will be a great experience."
Undoubtedly it will be an immense educational experience for a young man in Burnaby whose mind was most certainly focused on the task in hand, undaunted by the pedigree of his opponents.
𨧻n the final I knew that I had what it takes to beat him, but it was mostly a mental game�, said Kanak Jha 𨧻t was important to win the first few games to set the tone of the match.�
Clearly Kanak Jha had learned quickly; the two met in the group stage in the very first match when Adam Hugh had won by a similar margin to which he was to suffer defeat. He had won in five games (11-7, 10-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4).
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