Five medals at Youth Star Contender for Görkem and Josi
Görkem Öcal had a great Youth Star Contender in Doha, Qatar. The Turkish talent won the U15 Boys Doubles and the U15 Mixed Doubles and finished in the top four in the U15 Singles. Germany’s Josi Neumann took gold in the U15 girls doubles and also finished in the top 4 in the singles.

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Two gold medals and a bronze. Compass supported Görkem Öcal did very well at the WTT Youth Star Contender in Doha, Qatar. Photo: WTT Global
Both Görkem and Josi started a week of competition (27.01.-02.02.) at the Aspire Ladies Sports Hall in Doha by taking part in a Youth Contender event. There Josi reached the last 8 in the U19 singles after beating Austria’s Nina Skerbinz and then losing 1:3 to Choi Nahyun of Korea Republic in the quarter-finals. Josi reached the last 16 in the U19 mixed doubles with Ignas Sisanovas of Lithuania. And in the U17s she put in a very good performance, coming back from 1:2 down to beat Adelina Khasanova of Uzbekistan 3:2. In the quarter-finals she beat Heo Yerim of Korea Republic 3:1 and in the semi-finals she lost to Yoo Yerin 1:3, 10:12 in the fourth game.
Görkem reached the last eight in the U19 event where he lost to Hyok Kwon (KOR) in straight games. In the U17 event he lost 1:3 to Shouren Soman from India in the round of the last 32.


Youth Star Contender
But that was just a warm-up for the more important tournament later in the week, the Youth Star Contender. In this prestigious event, Görkem won two titles and finished in the top 4 in the singles. Three medals, two years younger than many of his opponents, is an amazing result.
In the U15 boys doubles, Görkem teamed up with compatriot Kenan Kahraman. They defeated teams from Uzbekistan and the host nation before beating Yeongmin Ma of Korea Republic/Onur Guluzade of Azerbaijan 3:1 in the final.
In the U15 mixed doubles Görkem teamed up with Koharu Itagaki of Germany. The Turkish-German pairing was dominant and won all their matches in straight games. Yerim/Ma (Korea Republic) in the quarter-finals, Thabet/Elmoursi (Egypt) and Mohd/Lee (Malaysia) in the final.
And in the U15 singles, Görkem made it to the semi-finals, but once again Seungsoo Lee of Korea Republic was too strong for him, this time winning 3:1. Lee also defeated Görkem in the U19 event, this time in straight games.
“At the moment I think these are nice results,” said Bogdan Pugna, the compass expert coach who works closely with Görkem. “It gives us trust in our cooperation, where we have focused on his physical development in recent months. We are doing this so that he will be well prepared for the senior level. I hope that within the next two years he will have the potential to compete with the seniors.”

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Medal Ceremony in Doha, U15 Boys Doubles. From left: Yeongmin Ma, Korea Republic, Onur Guluzade of Azerbaijan, Görkem Öcal and Kenan Kahraman. Photo: WTT
Two medals for Josi
The event was also successful for Josi Neumann. She reached the semi-finals of the U15 singles after beating Adelina Khasanova, Uzbekistan, but lost 1:3 to Yerim Heo, Korea Republic in the semi-finals. Josi went all the way in the doubles with Itagaki: 3:0 against Yeung Yee Lam/So Yan Tungin the semi-finals and 3:0 against Farida Thabet (Egypt)/Dania Mohd (Malaysia) in the final.
“I was unlucky with the draw in Doha,” Josi said afterwards. “I had to play Yerim Heo from Korea Republic three times and I only managed to win the first one, which was the quarterfinals of the U17 singles in the Youth Contender tournament. She was very strong. I also had my chances in the matches I lost but I lacked concentration.”
All in all a very good weekend for the compass supported players at the second Youth Star Contender tournament in 2025.

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Josi Neumann during her serve in Doha. Photo: WTT
More information about the tournaments and all results can be found at:
Five medals at Youth Star Contender for Görkem and Josi
Five medals at Youth Star Contender for Görkem and Josi
Görkem Öcal had a great Youth Star Contender in Doha, Qatar. The Turkish talent won the U15 Boys Doubles and the U15 Mixed Doubles and finished in the top four in the U15 Singles. Germany’s Josi Neumann took gold in the U15 girls doubles and also finished in the top 4 in the singles.

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Two gold medals and a bronze. Compass supported Görkem Öcal did very well at the WTT Youth Star Contender in Doha, Qatar. Photo: WTT Global
Both Görkem and Josi started a week of competition (27.01.-02.02.) at the Aspire Ladies Sports Hall in Doha by taking part in a Youth Contender event. There Josi reached the last 8 in the U19 singles after beating Austria’s Nina Skerbinz and then losing 1:3 to Choi Nahyun of Korea Republic in the quarter-finals. Josi reached the last 16 in the U19 mixed doubles with Ignas Sisanovas of Lithuania. And in the U17s she put in a very good performance, coming back from 1:2 down to beat Adelina Khasanova of Uzbekistan 3:2. In the quarter-finals she beat Heo Yerim of Korea Republic 3:1 and in the semi-finals she lost to Yoo Yerin 1:3, 10:12 in the fourth game.
Görkem reached the last eight in the U19 event where he lost to Hyok Kwon (KOR) in straight games. In the U17 event he lost 1:3 to Shouren Soman from India in the round of the last 32.


Youth Star Contender
But that was just a warm-up for the more important tournament later in the week, the Youth Star Contender. In this prestigious event, Görkem won two titles and finished in the top 4 in the singles. Three medals, two years younger than many of his opponents, is an amazing result.
In the U15 boys doubles, Görkem teamed up with compatriot Kenan Kahraman. They defeated teams from Uzbekistan and the host nation before beating Yeongmin Ma of Korea Republic/Onur Guluzade of Azerbaijan 3:1 in the final.
In the U15 mixed doubles Görkem teamed up with Koharu Itagaki of Germany. The Turkish-German pairing was dominant and won all their matches in straight games. Yerim/Ma (Korea Republic) in the quarter-finals, Thabet/Elmoursi (Egypt) and Mohd/Lee (Malaysia) in the final.
And in the U15 singles, Görkem made it to the semi-finals, but once again Seungsoo Lee of Korea Republic was too strong for him, this time winning 3:1. Lee also defeated Görkem in the U19 event, this time in straight games.
“At the moment I think these are nice results,” said Bogdan Pugna, the compass expert coach who works closely with Görkem. “It gives us trust in our cooperation, where we have focused on his physical development in recent months. We are doing this so that he will be well prepared for the senior level. I hope that within the next two years he will have the potential to compete with the seniors.”

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Medal Ceremony in Doha, U15 Boys Doubles. From left: Yeongmin Ma, Korea Republic, Onur Guluzade of Azerbaijan, Görkem Öcal and Kenan Kahraman. Photo: WTT
Two medals for Josi
The event was also successful for Josi Neumann. She reached the semi-finals of the U15 singles after beating Adelina Khasanova, Uzbekistan, but lost 1:3 to Yerim Heo, Korea Republic in the semi-finals. Josi went all the way in the doubles with Itagaki: 3:0 against Yeung Yee Lam/So Yan Tungin the semi-finals and 3:0 against Farida Thabet (Egypt)/Dania Mohd (Malaysia) in the final.
“I was unlucky with the draw in Doha,” Josi said afterwards. “I had to play Yerim Heo from Korea Republic three times and I only managed to win the first one, which was the quarterfinals of the U17 singles in the Youth Contender tournament. She was very strong. I also had my chances in the matches I lost but I lacked concentration.”
All in all a very good weekend for the compass supported players at the second Youth Star Contender tournament in 2025.

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Josi Neumann during her serve in Doha. Photo: WTT
More information about the tournaments and all results can be found at: