Singapore clinched the U15 Girls’ Singles title and U13 Girls’ Singles 2nd Runner Up at the WTT Youth Contender Bangkok 2024 that concluded on Sunday, 15 September.

13 year-old Ng Jing Xuan, from STTA’s Youth Training Squad (YTS), claimed her first WTT Youth Series podium finish when she claimed joint-2nd runners up in the U13 Girls’ Singles.

After finishing second in her group with 2 wins and a loss, she beat Pannapan Yodsuwan of Thailand 3-1 (9-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-6) in the Round of 32, then qualified for the quarterfinals after beating Kwaish Lotia of India, also 3-1 (9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-4).

Ng then beat Chinese Taipei’s Weng Yu Chiao in the Quarterfinals to be assured of a medal, winning 3-1 again (17-15, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8). Her fairytale run would end in the semifinals, as she fell to eventual champion Lee Da Som of Korea, 6-11, 7-11, 4-11.

In the U15 Girls’ Singles, rising star Loy Ming Ying, 14, was relentless in her quest for glory as she clinched her third WTT U15 title this year, following earlier successes in Antalya and San Francisco.

The teenager, who has qualified for the ITTF World Youth Championships in Sweden in November, went unbeaten in the group stage, before sweeping past her opponents with straight set victories in the Round of 32, Round of 16 and Quarterfinals.

She then left the crowd at Fashion Island in awe as she claimed two back to back comeback wins over Fong Tsz Kiu and Yuen Sum Lok of Hong Kong in the semifinal and final respectively. Twice, Ming Ying looked dead and buried at 2-0 down, but twice she came back to win 3-2, leaving her Hong Kong opponents wondering what hit them.

With the encouraging performances not only from Ming Ying and Jing Xuan, but from the rest of the Singapore contingent, the future looks bright for Singapore table tennis.