The winner in Puerto Rico, Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi is the new leader on the ITTF Junior Circuit Girls’ Standings, following her success in Caribbean sunshine on Sunday June 21st, she moves from no.5 to no.1 (3,520 points), in age when a special generation of young ladies is emerging.

Bruna Takahashi is only 14 years old, the same age as Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz who she beat in the Junior Girls’ Singles final in Aguada; on the Standings she makes one of the most significant leaps of all. She moves from no.81 to no.21 (1,050 points).

Special Generation
Likewise, Japan’s Mima Ito, who leads the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Women’s Singles Standings, is only 14 years old, as is her compatriot Hina Hayata; while Miu Hirano, the winner on the ITTF Junior Circuit earlier this year in Mauritius and Spain only recently celebrated her 15th birthday.

All are girls of the Millennium; all were born in 2000. Is this the generation that can challenge the supremacy of China?

Notable Progress
Progress for Bruna Takahashi and Adriana Diaz, there is also notable progress for Angela Guan of the United States and Leticia Nakada, like Bruna Takahashi from Brazil, following their efforts in Aguada.

Both reached the semi-final stage in Puerto Rico, Angela Guan moves from no.19 to no.11 (1,550 points) and is the highest rated North American, Leticia Nakada climbs from no.19 to no.14 (1,440 points).

Step Lower
New heights for Bruna Takahashi, it means one step lower for Thailand’s Tamolwan Khetkhuan, the previous leader, she is now at no.2 (2,900 points).

Likewise, the next three names on the ITTF Junior Circuit Girls’ Standings drop one place; Romania’s Adina Diaconu is now at no.3 (2,868 points), followed by the Japanese duo of Rira Ishikawa (2,585 points) and Ayane Morita (2,570 points).

Status Quo
One place lower for Rira Ishikawa and Ayane Morita, it is the status quo for their colleague, Miu Hirano, she remains at no.6.

Similarly Korea’s Choi Yelin is stationary at no.8 (2,050 points) as is Pauline Chasselin of France at no.9 (2,040 points) and Kim Jiho, also from Korea at no.10 (1,670 points).

Hong Kong’s Zhu Chengzhu completes the leading names, she falls one place to no.12 (1,500 points) with Romania’s Andreea Clapa also moving down the ladder one position. She is now at no.13 (1,482 points).

Argentine Progress
Meanwhile, on the ITTF Junior Circuit Boys’ Standings, there is major progress for the Argentine duo of Fermin Tenti and Horacio Cifuentes.

The winner in Puerto Rico, Fermin Tenti moves from no.42 to no.8 (1,700 points); while Horacio Cifuentes, narrowly beaten by the host association’s Brian Afanador, climbs from no. 26 to no.11 being level with Egypt’s Youssef Abdel-Aziz (1,440 points).

Lower Positions
It is for Youssef Abdel-Aziz a fall of one place as amongst the elite names as it is for Japan’s Takuto Izumo and Qatar’s Mohammed Abdulhussein. Takuto Izumo drops from no.8 to no.9 (1,679 points); Mohammed Abdulhussein from no.9 to no.10 (1,561 points).

A drop of one position, for Chinese Taipei’s Yang Heng-Wei and Romania’s Rares Sipos it is a fall of two places, Yang Heng-Wei is now at no.13, Rares Sipos at no.14.

Notable Progress
Notable progress for Fermin Tenti and Horacio Cifuentes, it is also notable progress for the Brazilian duo of Isaac Zauli and Gustavo Yokota, as it is for Brian Afanador.

Silver medalist in Aguada, Brian Afanador moves from no.221 to no.42 (800 points), while Isaac Zauli and Gustavo Yokota both share the no.34 spot (880 points).

Previously Isaac Zauli was at no.53, Gustavo Yokota at no.64. In Aguada, Isaac Zauli was a quarter-finalist, Gustavo Yokota, a semi-finalist.

Remain the Same
Changes but at the very top, there are no changes; none of the leading seven names was on duty in Puerto Rico.

Korea’s An Jaehyun continues to head the Boys’ Standings (3,300 point), he is followed by Romania’s Cristian Pletea (3,228 points), Russia’s Konstantin Chernov (2,256 points) and Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic (2,058 points).

Next in line is Hungary’s Bence Majoros (1,808 points), with Qatar’s Abdulrahman Al-Naggar remaining at no.6 (1,792 points) and German’s Dennis Klein, just one place ahead of Fermin Tenti at no.7 (1,720 points).

Places in Finals
Realistically a top 12 place at the end of itinerary, will gain an invitation to the Finals but not all may be accepted. No national association may field more than two players in each of the Boys’ Singles and Girls’ Singles events at the Finals.

The eventual decision depends on the listings published when the 30th tournament of the year, the Portugal Junior and Cadet Open which concludes on Sunday November 22nd, are known.

A total of 16 boys and 16 girls compete will receive invitations with both the host nation and each of the six continents affiliated to the International Table Tennis Federation being allocated a place for one boy and one girl. The basic invitation criteria, is that in order to gain an invitation a player must have competed in at least two continents.

Latest Standings
ITTF Junior Circuit: Boys’ Standings Following 2015 Puerto Rico Junior and Cadet Open
ITTF Junior Circuit: Girls’ Standings Following 2015 Puerto Rico Junior and Cadet Open 

Points Table
ITTF Junior Circuit: Points Table – Regular and Premium Tournaments