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Since the early 1980's, the Hong Kong Open Junior Championships had always been a popular destination for many talented juniors around the world.
Most notably, players such as Shuzo Matsuoka, Felix Barrientos, Paradorn Srichaphan (Champion, 1996), Xavier Malisse (Runner-up, 1996), Andy Roddick (Runner-up, 1998), Lu Yen-Hsun (Champion, 1999), Daniel Berta (Champion, 2007), etc, have all showcased their skills here at one time or another.
Over the years, top local players have also been regular participants at these Championships. Those that came away with silverwares bearing their names included Sven Koehler (1993), Thorsten Poelzl (1993), Willy Chan (1995), Jackie Fu (1995), John Hui (1996), Tong Ka Po (1997), Wayne Wong (1998), Yu Hiu Tung (2002), and Jack Hui & Brian Hung (2002), to name a few.*
Sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the annual Hong Kong Open Junior Championships is part of the ITF World Junior Circuit in which top players from around the world battle for prestigious titles and precious world ranking points.
The ITF World Junior Circuit is a year-long series of under-18 tournaments aimed at improving competitive opportunities for all juniors alike. Many of today and yesteryear's leading men and women on the ATP and WTA Tours such as Roger Federer and Justine Henin had, in fact, been regulars on the junior circuit since their early teens.
World Junior Champions Profiles - Gael Monfils
Playing on the ITF Junior Circuit
Tournaments are graded according to strength of entry, with the most ranking points being awarded for the nine major events (Grade A), which include the four Grand Slams, plus the Casablanca Cup, Copa Gerdau, Italian Open, Osaka Mayor's Cup, and the Orange Bowl. The Hong Kong Open Junior Championships commands, at present, a Grade 4 status.
ITF Junior World Ranking points are available at all tournaments. In order to hold a ranking, a player must reach a round where points are available. The number of points available in each round will vary depending on the grading of the tournament and the round reached.
See 2009 ITF Junior Circuit Regulations.
Those who finish atop the Combined Rankings at season's end will be declared ITF Junior World Champions, and are traditionally honoured with their Senior equivalent at the ITF World Champions Dinner during the French Open Championships in Paris each year.
This summer, Chinese Taipei's Yang Tsung-Hua and Thailand's Noppawan Lertcheewakarn were presented with their World Champions trophies at the World Champions Dinner prior to Roland Garros. They were the first player(s) from Asia to finish the year as the world's No. 1 since such official accolades were first recognized at the conclusion of the 1977-78 season.
The first recipients were Czechoslovakia's Ivan Lendl (Boys' Champion) and Hana Mandlikova (Girls' Champion).
For a more comprehensive look at world junior tennis today, please visit ITF's official weblet: www.itftennis.com/juniors.
*The Hong Kong Open Junior Championships was an ITF Grade 2 event until 2004.
Last updated October 8, 2009
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