TOO FAR: Japan's Kento turns on the style to deny Malaysian
SOONG Joo Ven's chase for the Asian Junior boys' singles crown lost momentum at the wrong time as he suffered an agonising defeat to Kento Momota of Japan in the final in Gimcheon, South Korea yesterday.
Joo Ven, not given much of a chance even to reach the last four, had played brilliantly until the final but found the going tough against Kento and suffered a 21-13, 22-20 defeat in 34 minutes.
On the other hand, it was a fitting finale for Kento who had been denied glory over the last three years and becomes only the second Japanese player after Kenichi Tago, winner in 2006, to clinch the boys' singles title.
Joo Ven, 17, will be uplifted by his performance despite the defeat as he is eligible to compete again next year where he will be the player to beat.
Zulfadli Zulkifli is the only Malaysian to secure the Asian junior boys' singles title, which he achieved last year while Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin (2009) and Low Wei Sheng (2010) also failed at the final hurdle.
The championships were also an event for China to forget as they failed to win even a single crown for the first time, failing in the girls' doubles and mixed doubles finals to South Korean opponents.
Shin Seung Chan-Lee So Hee won the girls' doubles, beating Yu Xiaohan-Huang Yaqiong 17-21, 21-15, 21-17 while Choi Sol Kyu-Jung Chae Yoo defeated Wang Yilu-Huang Dongping 17-21, 25-23, 23-21 to give South Korea a double cheer.
P.V. Sindhu of India also justified her top billing in the girls' singles when she beat Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 18-21, 21-17, 22-20 to win a first title for her nation in the tournament.
Results -- (All Finals) Boys' Singles: Kento Momota (Jpn) bt Soong Joo Ven (Mas) 21-13, 22-20.
Doubles: Arya Maulana Aldiyartama-Edi Subaktiar (Ina) bt Wang Chi Lin-Wu Hsiao Lin (Tai) 17-21, 22-20, 21-10.
Girls' Singles: P.V. Sindhu (Ind) bt Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) 18-21, 21-17, 22-20.
Doubles: Shin Seung Chan-Lee So Hee (Kor) bt Yu Xiaohan-Huang Yaqiong (Chn) 17-21, 21-15, 21-17.
Mixed Doubles: Choi Sol Kyu-Jung Chae Yoo (Kor) bt Wang Yilu-Huang Dongping (Chn) 17-21, 25-23, 23-21.
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