The highest rated player, most importantly of the principal names on duty, he is the most successful, the one this year with an ITTF World Junior Circuit boys’ singles title to his credit.

After having won last year in Slovakia, some three months ago, he emerged successful in the Czech Republic, the record somewhat different to his major challengers for whom the scenario has been so near yet so far.

Germany’s Kay Stumper was the runner up in Sweden, a fate that also befell Frenchman Lilian Bardet in Bahrain and more recently, earlier this month, Italy’s Carlo Rossi in Spain. In Wladyslawowo, Kay Stumper is the no.2 seed, followed by Lilian Bardet; Carlo Rossi is the no.8 seed.

Undoubtedly Lilian Bardet, who in 2017 won in Belgium, is a major candidate for a place on the podium, as is his colleague, Vincent Picard, the no.4 seed; earlier this year he was the runner up in both Bahrain and on home soil in Metz.

Meanwhile, for Sweden’s Martin Friis, Hungary’s Csaba Andras and Uladzislau Rukliatsou of Belarus, they have yet this year to reserve a junior boys’ singles podium finish. Notably in Spain, earlier this month, Uladzislau Rukliatsou came close; he reached the quarter-final round.

Most worthy competitors this year but without advancing to the medal matches, the situation is similar amongst the leading names in the cadet boys’ singles event; Germany’s Mike Hollo is the top seed followed by the Romanian trio of Iulian Chirita, Darius Movileanu and Andrei Tomica.

Semi-finalist at the 2018 European Youth Championships, this year Mike Hollo advanced to the quarter-final stage in Sweden, the same round as Iulian Chirita reached in France and Italy. Likewise, Darius Movileanu was a quarter-finalist in Italy, as was Andrei Tomica in France. Notably, the most successful on Wladyslawowo duty is Slovakia’s Jakub Goldir, the no.6 seed, he progressed to the penultimate round in Bahrain.

Play commences in Wladyslawowo with the junior boys’ singles and junior boys’ doubles events, the champions being anointed on Thursday 23rd May.