Yuka Ishigaki Takes Note of Previous Day's Lesson to Graduate in Cairo
Runner up in the Under 21 Women s Singles event one day earlier, 20 year old Yuka Ishigaki went one step better on Sunday 11th July 2010; she captured the Women s Singles crown at the Egypt Open in Cairo beating Turkey s Hu Melek in five games at the final hurdle.
A defeat one day earlier but perhaps therein lay the key to success; at the semi-final stage of the Under 21 Women s Singles competition, she had beaten Hu Melek in seven games at the penultimate stage.
Clearly, she emerged wiser from the experience; her defensive skills overcoming the attacking talents of the Turkish star.
No Stranger to ITTF Pro Tour Finals It was Yuka Ishigaki her first ever appearance in a Women s Singles final on the ITTF Pro Tour but she is no stranger to success on the international scene.
Notably in Macao in December 2008, she won the Under 21 Women s Singles crown, her backspin skills proving too secure for Singapore s Yu Meng Yu in the final encounter; now, her ability to combine a measure of attack with stalwart defence is making her a player of very high quality.
The victory in Cairo very much marks graduation day for Yuka Ishigaki.
Impressive Junior Record Certainly, she impressed as a cadet and as a junior but many do not make the next step; now, the step has been mounted.
During her formative years on the ITTF Junior Circuit she gained a series of notable successes.
Series of Successes In 2004 she won the Girls Singles crown at the Safir Junior Open in Sweden, then in 2005 she was the runner up in Spain, Poland and Fiji before in 2007 being the silver medallist at Safir and the winner in Poland.
Meanwhile, at the World Junior Championships, she gained silver in the Girls Team event in 2004 and 2006 whilst also in 2006 she reached the quarter-finals of the Girls Singles competition and the semi-final of the Girls Doubles event.
Title Won Four years later in Cairo it was the top step of the podium for Yuka Ishigaki, her first ITTF Pro Tour Women s Singles crown was gained, 2010 Egypt Open Women s Singles champion.
