Top-seeded Martin Sayer of Hong Kong and Chin Seul-Ki of Korea reaffirmed the legitimacy of their world rankings as they both triumphed at the 2004 Hirudoid Hong Kong ITF Grade 5 Junior Tournament at Victoria Park earlier today.
Martin Sayer, world-ranked 131, beat fellow scholarship athlete and No. 2 seed, Michael Lai, in dominant fashion in the Boys' Singles final, 6-1, 6-2, while Chin Seul-Ki, world-ranked 310, ended the powerful run of Jeong Yoon-Young, 6-0, 6-4, in the all-Korean Girls' Singles final.
Results | Photo Gallery
The tournament's finale saw the unseeded Korean duo of Choe Jeong-Woo and Park Dong Joon played solid tennis throughout the Boys' Doubles final to upset No. 3 seeds Martin Sayer and Ryan Cheung, 6-4, 6-2. It was the first final on the ITF World Junior Circuit for the 12-year-old Cheung.
Two 4-game win streaks, one right at the beginning, and the other to end the match, was enough to see Sayer secure his second ITF Group 5 World Junior Circuit title after capturing the Hatyai International Junior Championships in Thailand last July. The Sayer serve also did its damage, as the Hong Kong No. 1-ranked junior did not face a single break point, while serving five aces and numerous service winners to take control.
In the Girls' Singles final, No. 1 seed Chin Seul-Ki was even more dominant, winning the first seven games of the match before her fellow Korean teammate, unranked Jeong Yoon-Young, managed to get on the scoreboard.
Jeong's serve was put under tremendous pressure and she faced break points almost every service game. Chin, meanwhile, only faced break point once on her own serve, and was calling the shots during most rallies, constructing the points nicely with her pinpoint groundstrokes.
Although Jeong had made a fine run at this year's tournament, losing a total of only two games in her opening two rounds, and then defeating No. 3 seed Venise Chan of Hong Kong and No. 2 seed Natalie Solevski of Australia in the quarters and semis, in the end, the difference in world ranking told the tale as the top-seeded Chin ran away convincing winners, 6-0, 6-4.
Elsewhere, in the Boys' Doubles final, a combination of playing his first-ever ITF World Junior Circuit final and the fact that the Korean duo made a conscious effort in attacking the younger half of the Hong Kong pair, 12-year-old Ryan Cheung, were the reasons for the No. 3 seed's less-than-spectacular display.
Although Sayer and Cheung managed to keep things relatively tight in the opening set, Choe and Park broke the Cheung serve in the pivotal ninth game to gain a one-set advantage, then broke the 12-year-old twice more in the second, the third and seventh games, to take the match, 6-4, 6-2.
Thanks to title sponsor Hirudoid, it is precisely entry-level, Gade 5 events such as the 2004 Hirudoid Hong Kong ITF Group 5 Junior Tournament that are crucial in a young player's development, especially for ITF Circuit novices the likes of Ryan Cheung, who are often competing against seasoned campaigners on the world's premier junior tennis circuit.
Without hosting these Group 5 tournaments right here in Hong Kong, young local talents without junior world ranking points would never have been able to get into the qualifying draws, let alone the main rounds. It's an educational experience...but a must.
Tournament Organising Committee Chairman, Mr. Paul Sayer, writes:
And so a low-key tournament was brought to a very successful climax with Hong Kong players dominating the Boys' Singles draw, with our the visiting Korean contingent winning the Boys' Doubles and sweeping both the Girls' Singles and Girls' Doubles.
Of course, this is a good time to play tennis in Hong Kong, as it is in the dry season and we hope to repeat the event next year because of the good experience and opportunities it offers to the players and the organisers alike. The only disappointment is the poor coverage in the press resulting in only a small number of spectators at the finals - but those who did attend will not forget the great play by Martin and Michael in the singles and the prodigious strides made by young Ryan and Venise in the doubles. Look out for these four because there is a world champion in one of them, if not them all. Exciting days ahead indeed and a vindication for all associated with junior tennis in Hong Kong.
Oh, and let's not forget...a mighty thanks to the superb ballboys, who worked diligently, while looking tremendous in those pristine, flashy white ballpersons' uniform. Well done, boys!
Results
Hirudoid Hong Kong ITF Group 5 Junior Tournament
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
January 11-17, 2004
BOYS' SINGLES FINAL
(1)Martin Sayer (HKG) d. (2)Michael Lai (HKG) 6-1 6-2
GIRLS' SINGLES FINAL
(1)Chin Seul-Ki (KOR) d. Jeong Yoon-Young (KOR) 6-0 6-4
BOYS' DOUBLES FINAL
Choe Jeong-Woo/Park Dong Joon (KOR) d. (3)Martin Sayer/Ryan Cheung (HKG) 6-4 6-2
GIRLS' DOUBLES FINAL
(2)Chin Seul-Ki/Jeong Yoon-Young (KOR) d. (1)Venise Chan/Natalie Solevski (HKG/AUS) 6-4 6-1