IC Asian Junior Challenge

The Indian IC has won the IC Asian Junior Challenge by defeating the IC of Japan. Congratulations to India. The event was very successfully organised by the IC of Singapore.

Please click here to view images from the event

IC ASIAN JUNIOR CHALLENGE 2011 TOURNAMENT REPORT

IC Singapore hosted the Asian Junior Challenge 2011 from 30 August 2011 to 2 September 2011. The event was held at the quiet and rustic grounds of the Changi Beach Club, located at the eastern end of Singapore. The event was made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Club, which provided the club facilities and tennis courts at no extra costs beyond the costs of the rooms for the participants.

The event saw the participation of four teams – IC India, IC Japan and two teams from IC Singapore. The event was played as a round robin which allowed the players maximum playing time and exposure to different styles of play.

The Indian team was led by Ms Vishika Chhetri, a former WTA touring pro. India was represented by Rimpledeep Kaur, Tarrannum Handa, Shaikh Abdullah and Fatehdeep Singh.

The Japanese team was led by Mr Yoshito Nakamura (formerly a top four player in Japan) and Mr Kazu Ohta (formerly ranked in the top four in the 50 and over Seniors in Japan). The boys were Takumi Tsunematsu and Kazuki Toyoshima and the girls were Kyoka Okamura and Fumika Nakamura. The President of the Tokyo Tennis Association, Mr Hideo Godo, also lent his support by combining a visit to family in Singapore with supporting the IC Japan team through its matches.

The Singapore team was led by Mr Alex Chew (a former Davis Cup stalwart for Singapore). The girls were Rehmat Johal, Izabella Tan, Hannah Chew and Geraldine Ang. The boys were Lee Kaiyi, Basir Koh, Sean Lee and Steve Ng.

The competition did not start well for IC India when one of the Indian players was delayed due to visa problems. Practice day on 30 August 2011 was also a wash out as the infamous Singapore torrential rain paid an unwelcome visit. IC Japan, on the other hand, arrived a day early and managed some practice time on 30 August 2011 before the downpour. The patron of IC Singapore, Justice Choo Han Teck, visited the event site on 30 August 2011 and invited IC Japan to a Chinese lunch at the nearby Changi Village. IC India unfortunately missed out because the players were recovering from their overnight flight from Delhi.

However, IC India’s visit visibly brightened up on the first day of competition. The skies were clear and the brutal Singapore sun and humidity ensured that a tough day of competition awaited the players and team officials (who arguably had the more arduous task of sitting court side in the blazing sun). The competition started with IC Japan playing IC Singapore Red and IC India playing IC Singapore White. In the afternoon, the IC Singapore teams switched to play with IC India and IC Japan respectively. At the end of the first day, honours went to IC India and IC Japan, both of whom won their ties. The IC Singapore teams played well and had home court advantage but were not able to push across the line for wins.

The results at the end of the first day of competition meant that the match between IC India and IC Japan on the second day would be the title decider. Both teams took this seriously (no doubt encouraged by the Fact Sheet for the World Finals prepared by IC Australia which were included in the Info Kit given to the participants). A trip for all participants to downtown Singapore in the evening of the first day of competition was postponed in favour of a quieter evening.

The second day started with the sun out in full force. The girls started the battle for the right to make the trip to the World Finals in Adelaide. After a tremendous fight, honours were shared with each team winning one of the girls’ matches. The boys followed and IC India asserted itself at this stage of the competition. Both Indian boys won their matches to put the tie firmly in IC India’s favour. However, IC Japan was not ready to capitulate yet. The Japanese girls came out strongly and secured the girls’ doubles leaving the boys’ doubles to determine if a mixed doubles was going to be required to determine the tie. Despite a strong and valiant fight by the Japanese boys, the Indian boys stepped up once again to secure their match and the tie. Meanwhile, over in courts 3 and 4, the IC Singapore teams battled for domestic honours with the honours finally going to IC Singapore White.

The competition having ended, it was time for some well earned R&R. The participants and team officials were taken on a trip to the island resort of Sentosa where they were encouraged to wander around to enjoy charms of the island and also for dinner at the renowned Wavehouse (which includes a restaurant and bar in addition to wave machines which created waves for wakeboarding and surfboarding). This was possible through the tournament director, Mr Tan Xu Teng, who made all the arrangements but also inspired the Indian boys to try a new hair style with his impressive curls. The competition officially ended with the prize presentation at the dinner.

Congratulations to IC India.

IC ASIAN JUNIOR CHALLENGE 2011 RESULTS

31 August 2011

1. IC Japan v IC Singapore Red
(IC Japan names first)

Girls Singles
Kyoka Okamura v Rehmat Johal 6-1, 6-3
Fumika Nakamura v Izabella Tan 6-0, 6-1

Boys Singles
Takumi Tsunematsu v Lee Kaiyi 6-7, 4-6
Kazuki Toyoshima v Basir Koh 7-5, 7-5

Girls Doubles
Kyoka Okamura/Fumika Nakamura v Rehmat Johal/Izabella Tan
6-0, 6-0
Boys Doubles
Takumi Tsunematsu/Kazuki Toyoshima v Lee Kaiyi/Basir Koh
2-2 (play stopped)
Final result : IC Japan (winner, 4-1)

2. IC India v IC Singapore White
(IC India names first)

Girls Singles
Rimpledeep Kaur v Hannah Chew 6-1, 6-0
Tarrannum Handa v Geraldine Ang 6-2, 4-6, 10-3 (super tiebreak)

Boys Singles
Shaikh Abdullah v Sean Lee 4-6, 7-5, 10-6 (super tiebreak)
Fatehdeep Singh v Steve Ng 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 (super tiebreak)

Girls Doubles
Rimpledeep Kaur/Tarrannum Handa v Hannah Chew/Geraldine Ang
6-1, 6-2
Boys Doubles
Shaikh Abdullah/Fatehdeep Singh v Sean Lee/Steven Ng
(not played)
Final result : IC India (winner, 5-0)

3. IC India v IC Singapore Red
(IC India names first)

Girls Singles
Rimpledeep Kaur v Rehmat Johal 6-0, 6-0
Tarrannum Handa v Izabella Tan 6-0, 6-2

Boys Singles
Shaikh Abdullah v Lee Kaiyi 6-2, 6-0
Fatehdeep Singh v Basir Koh 7-5, 6-3

Girls Doubles
Rimpledeep Kaur/Tarrannum Handa v Rehmat Johal/Izabella Tan
6-0, 6-0
Boys Doubles
Shaikh Abdullah/Fatehdeep Singh v Lee Kaiyi/Basir Koh
(not played)
Final result: IC India winner (5-0)

4. IC Japan v IC Singapore Red
(IC Japan names first)

Girls Singles
Kyoka Okamura v Hannah Chew 6-0, 6-1
Fumika Nakamura v Geraldine Ang 6-0, 6-2

Boys Singles
Takumi Tsunematsu v Sean Lee 6-3, 6-2
Kazuki Toyoshima v Steve Ng 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 (super tiebreak)

Girls Doubles
Kyoka Okamura/Fumika Nakamura v Hannah Chew/Geraldine Ang
(not played)
Boys Doubles
Takumi Tsunematsu/Kazuki Toyoshima v Sean Lee/Steve Ng
(not played)
Final result : IC Japan (winner, 4-0)

1 September 2011

5. IC Japan v IC India
(IC Japan names first)

Girls Singles
Kyoka Okamura v Rimpledeep Kaur 7-5, 7-5
Fumika Nakamura v Tarrannum Handa 6-7 (2), 3-6

Boys Singles
Takumi Tsunematsu v Fatehdeep Singh 2-6, 2-6
Kazuki Toyoshima v Shaik Abdullah 3-6, 3-6

Girls Doubles
Kyoka Okamura/Fumika Nakamura v Rimpledeep Kaur/Tarrannum Handa
7-5, 6-1
Boys Doubles
Takumi Tsunematsu/Kazuki Toyoshima v Shaikh Abdullah/Fatehdeep Singh
4-6, 6-7 (3)
Final result : IC India (winner, 4-2)

6. IC Singapore Red v IC Singapore White

Girls Singles
Rehmat Johal v Hannah Chew 3-6, 2-6
Izabella Tan v Geraldine Ang 1-6, 2-6

Mixed Doubles
Rehmat Johal/Basir Koh v Hannah Chew/Steve Ng
5-7, 6-2, 10-8 (super tiebreak)
Izabella Tan/Lee Kaiyi v Geraldine Ang/Sean Lee
6-4, 0-6, 7-10 (super tiebreak)
Boys Singles
Lee Kaiyi v Sean Lee (not played)
Basir Koh v Steve Ng (not played)

Girls Doubles
Rehmat Johal/Izabella Tan v Hannah Chew/Geraldine Ang
(not played)
Boys Doubles
Lee Kaiyi/Basir Koh v Sean Lee/Steve Ng
(not played)

Final result : IC Singapore White (winner, 3-1)

WINNER OF IC ASIAN JUNIOR CHALLENGE 2011 - IC INDIA

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