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Wonmin Kim and Yeri Hong clinched a glorious double for Korea, winning the gold medal in boys’ and girls’ singles respectively at the ITF Asia 14 & Under Development Championships 2023, Finals (Week 2), which concluded at the Kalinga Stadium Tennis Complex in Bhubaneswar today.
Top seed Kim justified his top billing by outclashing India’s unseeded Shivtej Shirfule in the boys’ singles final 6-1, 6-0. With this win, Kim also completed a personal double, adding singles gold to the doubles yellow metal he had won with compatriot Min Hyuk Cho yesterday.
In fact, it was the second double crown for Kim, who had also claimed both the singles and doubles gold medal in the first week of the ITF Asia 14 & Under Development Championships here at Kalinga Stadium Tennis Complex six days ago.
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While Shirfule settled for the boys’ singles silver medal, the bronze medal went to fourth seed Hong Kong’s Alex Lap Hang Hui, who defeated Abubakar Talha (Pakistan) in the 3rd-place match 6-1, 6-3.
Yeri Hong won the girls’ singles gold medal, beating fifth seed Kazakhstan’s Eva Korysheva in the summit clash 6-3, 6-0. The tall and powerful Kazakh girl, who had stunned top seed Korea’s Jiyun Oh in the semifinals yesterday, could not repeat her act in the final and settled for the silver medal.
Oh, however salvaged the disappointment of her semifinal defeat by winning the bronze medal with a 6-4, 7-5 win in the 3rd–place match against second seed India’s Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik graced the award ceremony and presented the over champions trophy to the Korean team and medals to respective winners. Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, Odisha Tennis Association (OTA) president Asit Tripathi, secretary Satyajit Mohanty, tournament director Sanjeeb Panda, Secretary to Chief Minister VK Pandian and Sports Department Secretary R Vineel Krishna were present on the occasion.
In the twin championships, Korea bagged a total of nine medals, which include seven gold, one silver and one bronze. Putting up fighting performances, Indian players secured three silver and one bronze.
RESULTS:
Girls Singles: Final: Yeri Hong (Korea) def Eva Korysheva (Kazakhstan) [5] 6-3, 6-0. 3/4 Place: Jiyun Oh (Korea) [1] def Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi (India) [2] 6-4, 7-5.
Boys Singles: Final: Wonmin Kim (Korea) [1] def Shivtej Shirfule (India) 6-1, 6-0. 3/4 Place: Alex Lap Hang Hui (Hong Kong) [4] def Abubakar Talha (Pakistan) 6-1, 6-3.
Girls Doubles (Final): Eva Korysheva-Yerkezhan Zhanatayeva (KAZ) [4] def Ilima Guseynova-Emily Kim (TKM-UZB) [3] 6-1, 6-2.
Boys Doubles (Final): Min Hyuk Cho-Wonmin Kim (KOR) [1] def Ryu Kotikula-Dharma Pantaratorn (THA) [2] 6-3, 6-4.
MEDAL WINNERS (Week 2):
Boys’ singles: Gold- Wonmin Kim (Korea), Silver- Shivtej Shirfule (India), Bronze- Alex Lap Hang Hui (Hong Kong).
Girls’ singles: Gold- : Yeri Hong (Korea), Silver- Eva Korysheva (Kazakhstan), Bronze- Jiyun Oh (Korea).
Boys’ doubles: Gold- Min Hyuk Cho-Wonmin Kim (Korea), Silver- Ryu Kotikula-Dharma Pantaratorn (Thailand).
Girls’ doubles: Gold- Eva Korysheva-Yerkezhan Zhanatayeva (Kazakhstan), Silver- Ilima Guseynova-Emily Kim (Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan).
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TOP: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik presents the overall champions trophy to Korea team in Bhubaneswar on 14 April 2023.
RIGHT: Indian boy Shivteaj Shirfule receives the singles silver medal in Bhubaneswar on 14 April 2023.
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