9/13/2009 2009 Ecuador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Singapore ruled supreme at the Ecuador Junior Open in Guayaquil on Sunday 13th September 2009.

Clarence Chew won both the Junior Boys’ Singles and Cadet Boys’ Singles events whilst his female compatriot, Isabelle Li succeeded in both the Junior Girls’ Singles and Cadet Girls’ Singles competitions.

Throughout the tournament, Isabelle Li was in a class of her own. In the final of the Girls’ Singles event, her exquisite defensive skills proved too great for Ecuador’s Tania Almendariz, whilst in the final of the Cadet Girls’ Singles competition it was the same story in opposition to Sweden’s Maria Engelson.

 9/13/2009 2009 Ecuador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Singapore’s Isabelle Li once again showed her class, whilst Tania Almendariz gladden the hearts of home supporters hearts; that was the scenario in the semi-final stage of the Girls’ Singles event at the Ecuador Junior Open in Guayaquil on the morning of Sunday 13th September 2009.

Seeded no.1, Isabelle Li overcame Peru’s spirited Kimberly Chavez in five games whilst playing with great discipline, using her undoubted skill at playing with consistent topspin play, as opposed to speed; Tania Almendariz overcame Sweden’s Maria Engelson by a similar margin.

Isabelle Li won 11-8, 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3; whilst Tania Almendariz succeded 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-3.

 9/12/2009 2009 Ecuador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Ecuador’s 17 year old Richard Mejia brought the house down at the High Performance Training Centre in Guayaquil early in the evening of Saturday 11th September 2009 at the Ecuador Junior Open.

In a tension packed seven games encounter he beat Argentina’s Pablo Saragovi, the no.3 seed, to book his place in the semi-finals.

Urged on by cries of “Richard, Richard, Richard”; he responded and maintained his concentration to book his first ever semi-final place at an ITTF Junior Circuit event.

It was a splendid contest played in a splendid spirit.

 9/12/2009 2009 Ecuador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Singapore’s Isabelle Li duly booked her semi-final place in the Girls’ Singles event at the Ecuador Junior Open in Guayaquil by recording a straight games quarter-final victory over Guatemala’s Eva Godoy on Saturday 11th September 2009.

She was sheer class.

However, for the other highly seeded players there were problems. Karen Rojas of Chile was beaten by Sweden’s Maria Engelson, whilst Ecuador’s Tania Almendariz, seeded three, defeated Maria Engelson’s compatriot, Josefin Lund, the no.3 seed.

 9/12/2009 2009 Ecuador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

Seventeen year old Tania Almendariz kept the home fans on knife edge in her opening round duel in the Girls’ Singles event at the Ecuador Junior Open in Guayaquil on Saturday 11th September 2009.

Seeded no.4, she was tested to the very limit by Guatemala’s Mabelyn Enriquez; the fast attacking play from the young lady from the host city, who squeals with high pitched note when she wins a point, was in full voice.

She won 6-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 14-12.

 9/12/2009 2009 Ecuador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

The top three seeded players in the Girls’ Singles event at the Ecuador Junior Open in Guayaquil, all secured top place in their respective groups on Friday 10th September 2009 but it was not without some difficulties and for the fourth seeded player, Ecuador’s Tania Almendariz, a second placed finish was the order of the day.

There were no problems for top seed, Singapore’s Isabelle Li, nor for the third seeded, Josefin Lund of Sweden but for Karen Rojas, for the very stylish young lady from Chile, there was a somewhat surprise defeat, a result that raised the eyebroes.

 9/11/2009 2009 Ecuador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

The top six highest world ranked players in the first stage of proceedings in the Boys’ Singles event at Ecuador junior Open in Guayaquil all came through their opening group matches unscathed on the morning of Friday 11th September 2009.

It was a successful first visit to the table for Chile’s Matias Contreras and Manuel Moya as it was for the Argentine duo of Pablo Saragovi and Emir.

Similarly, Sweden’s Mattias Ekdahl and Ecuador’s Ivan Proaño experienced no great troubles.