THAI teen tennis sensation Noppawan Lertcheewakarn was named the International Tennis Federation junior world champion this year.

The world’s tennis governing body released its final junior tennis rankings for 2008 with the 17-year old from Chiang Mai on top of the girls’ division and Taiwanese Tsung-Hua clinching number one in the boys division.

Noppawan or “Nok” proved to be the most consistent player on the girls’ circuit, capturing four singles and two doubles titles during the year, the federation’s website statement said.

A member of the ITF/Grand Slam Touring Team, the Chiang Mai native reached her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, and won four events in Asia.

In doubles, Noppawan teamed up with Sweden’s Sandra Roma to win the Junior US Open, and was also champion at the pre-Wimbledon event at Roehampton. Her overall win-loss records for the year were 39-12 in singles and 31-11 in doubles.

Yang clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking at last week’s Junior Orange Bowl, the final tournament of the season. The 17-year-old from Taipei captured his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, and was also a finalist at the Australian Open and semifinalist at the US Open.

Yang also captured two Grand Slam doubles titles with countryman Cheng-Peng Hsieh, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He finished the season with a 20-7 record in singles and 25-6 in doubles.

The Thai teenager rose to the top of the International Tennis Federation girls’ singles ranking with combined points of 1,082.50, becoming the first Asian girl to hold the No 1 position.