 Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 02 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 02 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 02 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 02 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 02 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 02 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 02 Apr 2009 |
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| 31 Mar 2009 | |
| ITF 14 & Under Asian Championships 2009, Group 1, Indonesia |
The Indonesian Tennis Federation (PELTI) is at the forefront among Asian nations when it comes to junior development as they were hosts of the ITF 14 & Under Asian Junior Championships(Group 1) for the third consecutive year. These championships attracted the best under 14 Asian juniors from the nations of China, Chinese Taipei, China Hong Kong, India, Korea, Philippines, Thailand and host nation Indonesia. ITF teams comprising of the best players from the Group 2 & 3 events represented the rest of Asia coming from Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The championships began with a two day training camp (18 – 19 March) conducted by the ITF Development Officer for Asia, Suresh Menon, who was assisted by the ITF team coaches as well as the coaches of the various teams. Friendly matches, coaching tips and fun games produced the right atmosphere for the various participants. The camp was followed by two consecutive tournaments using a feed in consolation system in which all players have to play a single match each day, leading to a final overall ranking. Points are awarded for each tournament and added together at the end of the event, to provide the final ranking. This point ranking determines who will qualify to be on the ITF Asian Team which will travel to Europe for 6 weeks.
The championships were held at the Kemayuran Tennis Center, a 10 outdoor and 10 indoor court facility. Despite the exhausting demands on the players having to play a match each day under some challenging conditions, the juniors preformed admirably and produced some high quality tennis throughout the championships. A welcome change to the format of the competition was the training camp being reduced from three to two days and the introduction of a rest day between the two tournaments. The rest day allowed the participants to recover from the very hot and humid conditions present during the entire competition.
In the boys singles of tournament 1, Amer Naow (SYR) and Hoang Thien Nguyen (VIE), both team members from the ITF Group 2 team, reached the finals. This is an unprecedented feat since never in the history of this competition have two players from the developing tennis nations appeared in the finals of this Group 1 championships at the expense of their rivals from the developed Asian tennis nations. This is Naow’s third appearance in this competition and demonstrates that persistence does pay as he went on to defeat his fellow teammate and doubles partner in the finals 36 63 64. In the doubles finals Naow and Nguyen lived up to their top seed billing and easily defeated the Korean pair of Young Seok Kim and In Kyo Jeong 62 62.
In the girls event, Katherine Ip (HKG) emerged champion by defeating Indonesia’s number one player Aldila Sutjiadi (INA). Ip has also competed in this championship for the last two years and showed a maturity in her game that allowed her to dominate her opponents. The girls’ doubles final was between the Thai pair of Gornganok Tiraganok and Nahathai Khuntaket and Aldila Sutjiadi and Evita Febrihabsari from Indonesia. The Thai team edged ahead of the Indonesians to take the doubles title 62 26 76(6).
Nguyen (VIE) was not to be denied a championship title and in the second week’s tournament he went on to crush Krittin Koaykul (THA) in the finals. The ITF Group 2 team combination of Nguyen and Naow proved too strong again and clinched the doubles title by defeating Koaykul and Parl Rungseeborirak (THA) 61 63. It was double jubilation for Ip (HKG) when she defeated Zi Tue Sun (CHN) 64 64 in the girls singles finals of tournament 2. The doubles final was a repeat of the first week but this time it was Febrihabsari & Sutjiadi (INA) who edged out Khuntaket & Tiraganok (THA) 75 63 to take the girls doubles title.
Radhika Kanitkar, the coach from India, had nothing but praise for the competition and its organizers: ‘This event brings the best 14 & under players in Asia together under one roof. Many of today’s best Asian juniors have participated in this competition and went on to be among the top juniors in the world such as Yuki Bhambri (IND), Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE) and Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (THA). It acts as a stepping stone for the Asian players to make their mark in the international tennis arena and to be amongst the best in the world”.
PELTI President and Asian Tennis Federation Vice President, Ms Martina Widjaja, was quoted as saying “junior tennis, especially the under 14 category, needs to be given more priority. PELTI is working tirelessly to organize more tournaments in this age group and is always ready to support Asian junior development by organizing future ITF 14 & Under Asian Championships. I realize the importance of such an event as it brings together the top under 14 Asian juniors”.
Please find below detailed results:
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