by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Second place was to be the end result for Camila Kaizoji and thus a passport to the main draw, players finishing in the top two positions in each of the five groups advanced to the knock-out phase; it was not the situation for Leyla Gomez. Ecuador’s Nathaly Paredes having lost to Ana Codina (11-6, 11-5, 11-5), recovered to beat Leyla Gomez and secure second spot (6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 16-14).
First place for the top two seeds, it was the same for Argentina’s Camila Arguelles, the no.4 seed and for Judith Morales, the no.5 seed; respective second places went to Chile’s Daniela Ortega and Paraguay’s Melina Hermosilla.
In the one further group, Argentina’s Agustina Iwasa, the highest rated name owing to the absence of Uruguay’s Maria Pia Lorenzotti, the no.3 seed, finished in first place with colleague Muriel Rajmil in second spot.
Success for the top two seeds in the Women’s Singles event; it was the same in the Women’s Doubles competition where Chile’s Judith Morales and Paulina Vega, the top seeds, meet Camila Arguelles and Ana Codina, the no.2 seeds, in the final.
At the semi-final stage Judith Morales and Paulina Vega beat Paraguay’s Leyla Gomez and Lucero Ovelar, the no.7 seeds (11-9, 11-7, 13-11), the surprise quarter-final winners over Argentina’s Agustina Iwasa and Candela Molero, the no.3 seeds (11-6, 12-10, 11-5). In the opposite half of the draw, Camila Arguelles and Ana Codina had ousted colleagues Camila Kaizoji and Paula Fukuhara, the no.6 seeds (11-4, 11-6, 11-7), the pair having received a quarter-final walk-over when due to face Uruguay’s Maria Pia Lorenzotti and Maria Solano.
Minor surprises en route to the final of the Women’s Doubles event, in the Mixed Doubles, the upsets were much greater.
Argentina’s Gaston Alto and Ana Codina, the top seeds, suffered a quarter-final defeat at the hands of compatriots Nicolas Galvano and Candela Molero, the no.8 seeds (11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5) who then promptly experienced a semi-final reverse when facing Chile’s Gustavo Gomez and Judith Morales, the no.4 seeds (11-8, 11-8, 11-4).
Similarly, there was a semi-final defeat for Chile’s Juan Lamadrid and Paulina Vega, the no.2 seeds; they experienced defeat at the hands of Argentina’s Horacio Cifuentes and Camila Arguelles, the no.3 seeds (4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8).
Surprise finalists and in the Under 21 Women’s Singles event there will be at least one unexpected name in the title decider. In the top half of the draw at the quarter-final stage Argentina’s Muriel Rajmil, the no.10 seed, gained a walk-over against Maria Pia Lorenzotti, whilst Camila Kaizoji, the no.5 seed, defeated Natahly Parades, the no.4 seed (11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 11-8).
Meanwhile, in the lower half of the draw in the Under 21 Women’s Singles event, Argentina’s Candela Molero, the no.3 seed, accounted for Uruguay’s Maria Solano (11-4, 11-3, 11-5), Daniela Ortega, the no.2 seed, ended the hopes of Paraguay’s Leyla Gomez (11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-2).
Play at the 2017 South American Championships concludes on Thursday 14th December.
Entries
2017 South American Championships: List of National Associations
2017 South American Championships: List of Entries
Men’s Team & Women’s Team Events
2017 South American Championships: Men’s Team & Women’s Team – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Men’s Team – Results (Monday 11th December)
2017 South American Championships: Women’s Team – Results (Monday 11th December)
Men’s Singles & Women’s Singles Events
2017 South American Championships: Men’s Singles – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Men’s Singles – Stage One – Results (Tuesday 12th December)
2017 South American Championships: Men’s Singles – Main Draw (Tuesday 12th December)
2017 South American Championships: Women’s Singles – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Women’s Singles – Stage One – Results (Tuesday 12th December)
2017 South American Championships: Women’s Singles – Main Draw (Tuesday 12th December)
Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles & Mixed Doubles Events
2017 South American Championships: Men’s Doubles – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Men’s Doubles – Main Draw – Results (Tuesday 12th December)
2017 South American Championships: Women’s Doubles – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Women’s Doubles – Main Draw – Results (Tuesday 12th December)
2017 South American Championships: Mixed Doubles – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Mixed Doubles – Main Draw -Results (Tuesday 12th December)
Under 21 Men’s Singles & Under 21 Women’s Singles Events
2017 South American Championships: Under 21 Men’s Singles – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Under 21 Men’s Singles – Main Draw – Results (Tuesday 12th December)
2017 South American Championships: Women’s Singles – Seeding
2017 South American Championships: Under 21 Women’s Singles – Main Draw – Results (Tuesday 12th December)