2017 Finales World Junior Circuit

Van 2 februari tot 4 februari 2018 vonden in Luxemburg de finales van het World Junior Circuit 2017 plaats. Zestien spelers konden zich door hun internationale prestaties plaatsen voor deze finales. Hierbij drie Europese speelsters. De Luxemburgse S. Meyer (wildcard), de Roemeense A. Diaconu (N° 1 in Europa) en de Truiense Lisa Lung!
4 Groepen van 4 speelsters waarvan de twee eersten per groep de kwartfinales spelen.
Haar eerste wedstrijd won Lisa met 4-0 van de Ecuadoriaanse Paredis met 4-0. Haar volgende wedstrijd was tegen de Europese n° 1 de Roemeense Adina Diaconu. Het werd 3-4 voor Diaconu nadat Lisa met 3-1 in sets voor kwam en de vijfde set met het kleinste verschil (9-11) verloor. Haar volgende wedstrijd tegen Chen Ting-Ting verloor Lisa met 4-1 waardoor ze uitgeschakeld was voor de kwart finales.
Adina Diaconu overcame Belgium’s Lisa Lung, the no.5 seed (9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6).
Adina Diaconu: “It was a difficult match because Lisa and I have played against each other since we were cadets. Normally, I start tournaments a bit shaky and then improve, so I am quite happy to have won my first two matches. I think the difference for my win today was that I was able to concentrate and focus a bit more than Lisa. My goal for the tournament is to reach the final since this will be my last chance as a junior.”
Lisa Lung: “I played against Adina this year at the Hungarian Open in the Under 21 Women’s Singles and lost three-two after having a two-nil lead. Here in Luxemburg it was almost the same, after leading three-one, I lost four-three. She has much experience and played the match very well. I have gained self-confidence for my next match which is against Chen Ting-Ting from Chinese Taipei. I have never played against her before but the match against Adina was a very good warm up for tomorrow.”
Article: by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager