by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
On the opening day of play, the Chileans had experienced a three-two defeat at the hands of the Brazilian outfit formed by Beatrix Kimoto and Giulia Takahashi, despite the efforts of Valentina Rios. She had beaten both Giulia Takahashi (9-11, 11-2, 13-11, 13-11) and Beatrix Kimoto (11-6, 3-11, 14-12, 11-4).
One day later, the two teams met again; this time in the final. Revenge was extracted, a three-one win was recorded, the vital difference was the doubles.
In the group phase, the Brazilians had won the doubles contest by the very narrowest of margins (7-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10); in the title decider once again Valentina Rios overcame Beatrix Kimoto (11-8, 11-9, 11-7) and Giulia Takahashi (11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7) but sandwiched in between the Chilean duo secured the doubles in a contest that proved equally as tense as that enacted the previous day. It was decided by the minimum two point margin (11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 6-11, 11-9).
Day Two: action from the 2017 Paraguay Junior and Cadet Open
Earlier at the quarter-final stage Valentina Rios and Macarena Montecino had beaten Paraguay’s Karimi Apud and Isabella Carrillo by three matches to one at the quarter-final stage prior to recording a three-one win against colleagues Jerusalem Flores and Claudia Infante, on duty for Chile ‘B’.
Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw; in the same rounds, Beatrix Kimoto and Giulia Takahashi had ended Argentine hopes. In the round of the last eight they accounted for the Argentina ‘B’ Team pairing of Valentina Parola and Cielo Rotryng Alvarez, prior to reserving their place in the final courtesy of success against the Argentina ‘A’ Team pairing of Divina Ding and Isabella Fragapane.
Success for Chile in the Cadet Girls’ Team event; in the Cadet Boys’ Team competition it was Canada who claimed the top prize in the guise of Kenny Jiang and Terence Yeung.
The duo accounted for the Argentina ‘B’ Team pairing of Christian Azcoaga and Matias Velarde in the final, recording a three-nil win.
Earlier at the quarter-final stage, the Canadians had beaten the Brazil ‘B’ Team partnership of Andre Murchie and Shim Joon, before recording a three-one success in opposition to the Brazil ‘A’ Team combination of Kenzo Carmo and Daniel Godoi.
In the adjacent half of the draw, in the same rounds, Christian Azcoaga and Matias Velarde had beaten the Chile ‘A’ pairing of Esteban Nannig and Matias Pedraza, prior to ending the hopes of Argentina ‘A’ Team colleagues Luciano Alto and Matias Guadalupe.
