Unbeaten displays by Taiyo Nomura and Cristina Hirici on Saturday 9th June 2007 steered Japan and Romania to respective victories in the Cadet Boys’ and Cadet Girls’ Team events at the French Junior Open in Vern sur Seiche.
Japan beat Croatia at the semi-final stage three-nil before accounting for Germany in a gold medal contest that went the full five match distance. Meanwhile, in the Cadet Girls’ Team competition Romania overcame Poland at the penultimate stage and Germany in the final; both contests being resolved by the three-one score line.


Cadet Boys’ Team Semi-Finals
Against Croatia, Taiyo Nomura beat Ivan Zeljko and Koki Niwa defeated Frane Kojic before the doubles was secured.

A three-nil score line and it was the same in the counterpart semi-final with Germany beating France; a match in which Christoph Schmidl defeated Simon Gauzy and Patrick Franziska overcame Thomas Le Breton before securing the doubles.

Final
In the final, Taiyo Nomura beat Christoph Schmidl and Patrick Franziska, whilst Koki Niwa lost both young Germans; the crucial contest proved to be the doubles, a match that went the full distance with the Japanese duo winning 11-9 in the decisive fifth game.

Victory Over Poland
Meanwhile, in the Cadet Girls’ Team event Cristina Hirici beat both Klaudia Kusinska and Magdelana Szczerowska in the semi-final duel against Poland, whilst teaming with Bernadette Szocs to win the doubles; the one Polish victory coming from Magdelana Szczerowska against Benadette Szocs in the second match of the fixture.

At the same stage Germany beat France three-nil. Petrissa Solja accounted for Alice Abbat and Sabine Winter beatg Marine Pavot with the German girls winning the doubles to bring matters to a conclusion.

Excellent Start
In the final Cristina Hirici gave Romania the start they needed by beating Sabine Winter in four games.

“It was a difficult match”, said Cristina Hirici. “Tomorrow I play her in the singles, I think today I was brave against her; I lost the first game because I had problems with her service; after that game I got used to her services and was able to return them better.”

Vital Doubles
Good players adapt and Cristina Hirici adapted; Germany levelled with Petrissa Solja overcoming Benadette Szocs but success in the doubles put the Romanians back into the lead.

“Bernadette is very young, she played really well in the doubles and she played well against Petrissa Solja”, continued Cristina Hirici. “We won the first two games, then we led 10-8 in the third and lost12-14; however, in the fourth games Bernadette played very consistently and we managed to win.”

Conclusion
The advantage with Romania, Cristina Hirici brought matters to a close with a four games win over Petrissa Solja.

“I was nervous at the beginning of the match, I’d seen Petrissa beat Bernadette”, explained Cristina Hirici. “I lost the second game, won the third and then led 10-8 in the fourth, I had some problems returning her service and she drew level at 10-all, it was close.”

Victory Secured
Nevertheless, Cristina Hirici maintained her composure; she won the game 15-13 and secured victory for Romania.

In the Cadet Girls Team event Cristina Hirici shone, she was the star and with Bernadette Szocs, the champions in Vern sur Seiche.

Articol publicat de Ian Marshal pe site-ul www.ittf.com.