6/25/2009 2009 Guatemala Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Slovakia’s 17 year old Samuel Novota won the Boys’ Singles title at the Guatemala Junior Open on Thursday 25th June 2009 beating 18 year old Cuban Jorge Campos in the final.

The young man from Malacky, 30 kilometres from Bratislava, the Slovakian capital, had to withstand a determined recovery by the Cuban adversary. Samuel Novota won the first three games but clinching victory proved a torturous affair; Jorge Campos clinched the next three but could not maintain the momentum.

 6/25/2009 2009 Guatemala Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Eighteen year old Livia Mizobuchi and thirteen year old Caroline Kumahara secured the respective Junior Girls’ and Cadet Girls’ Singles titles at the Guatemala Junior Open on Thursday 25th June 2009, to conclude proceedings in style for Brazil.

Both Brazilians displayed excellent technical skills on their path to gold.

At the final hurdle, Livia Mizobuchi overcame Peru’s Angela Mori in six games whilst Caroline Kumahara recorded a straight games victory over the Dominican Republic's Eva Brito.

 6/25/2009 2009 Guatemala Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

There was no great preparation, only totally harmony.

Sometimes for whatever reason it all just comes together.

At the Guatemala Junior Open, Juan Carlos Medina, the ITTF Competition Manager on duty, prepared the draw for the Cadet Girls’ Doubles event; Venezuela’s Gremlis Arvelo and Ecuador’s Sandra Durazno did not have partners.

 6/25/2009 2009 Guatemala Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Slovakia’s Samuel Novota and Cuba’s Jorge Campos, neither seeded amongst the top four, both succeeded in their quarter-final Boys’ Singles duels at the Guatemala Junior Open on the morning of Thursday 25th June 2009.

In four straight games Jorge Campos beat Canada’s Pierre-Luc Theriault, the no.4 seed, to reserve his place in the penultimate round where he faces the top seed, Brazil’s Paulo Rocha. Meanwhile, Samuel Novota recorded a seven games win over Brazil’s Danilo Toma, the no.2 seed.

 6/24/2009 2009 Guatemala Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Brazil’s Paulo Rocha and Danilo Toma, the top two seeds in the Boys’ Singles event at the Guatemala Junior Open, both booked quarter-final places, following second round successes on Wednesday 24th June 2009.

Paulo Rocha overcame Argentina’s Benjamin Tenti in six games, whilst in a tense seven games duel, Danilo Toma accounted for Mexico’s Andres Avila. The Mexican tested the talented Brazilian to the very limit, his defensive skills combined with a strong forehand topspin posed a host of problems.

 6/24/2009 2009 Guatemala Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Brazil’s 17 year old Amanda Marquez, a player with a difference, caused the one and only upset at the quarter-final stage of the Junior Girls’ Singles event at the Guatemala Junior Open on Wednesday 24th June 2009.

In six games she beat Argentina’s Ana Codina, the no.3 seed; she won 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9.

The difference is that Amanda Marquez is a pen hold grip player in the traditional style.

 6/24/2009 2009 Guatemala Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Cuba’s Jorge Campos and Hector Sola caused the major upset at the quarter-final stage of the Boys’ Doubles event at the Guatemala Junior Open on Wednesday 24th June 2009 by ousting second seeds, Brazil’s Paulo Rocha and Danilo Toma in four games.

The two Cubans were in total harmony to record victory by the margin of 13-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9. Earlier in the day, female compatriots, Heylyn Trujillo and Yuneisy Galvan had upset the seeding in the Girls’ Doubles event by beating top seeds Paraguay’s Sandy Gavilan and Lucero Ovelar en route to the semi-finals.