28 Nov 2018

Winners one year ago, Chile’s Cristian Gonzalez and Matias Pino alongside the host nation’s Mauro Depergola and Brazil’s Carlos Carbinatti, defend their Men’s Singles titles at the forthcoming 2018 Copa Tango Para Open Championships.

Play commences in Buenos Aires on Friday 30th November and concludes on Sunday 2nd December, being preceded by a junior tournament for players under 23 years of age.

by Ian Marshall, Editor

In 2017, Cristian Gonzalez secured the Class 4 title, for Matias Pino, in Class 6, he was crowned champion.

Similarly Mauro Depergola emerged successful in Class 5; moreover, he could well face adversaries seeking revenge. Also from Argentina, Daniel Rodriguez and Elias Romero, respective silver and bronze medallists last year, appear on the entry list.

It is a somewhat similar situation for Carlos Carbinatti, the reigning Class 10 champion; bronze medallist last year, Argentina’s Dario Neira is also once again on duty.

Seeking to repeat the 2017 success and perhaps climb even higher, the name of Chile’s Luis Bustamente appears on the Class 2 entry list, as in Class 3 do the names of Argentina’s Gabriel Copola and Alfonso Diaz, also from Chile. Last year, in their respective categories, Luis Bustamente and Gabriel Copola were silver medallists, Alfonso Diaz secured bronze.

In a similar manner, Argentina’s Aleksy Kaniuka, silver medal winner last year, alongside bronze medallists Chile’s Osvaldo Torres and Pablo Ferro appear in Class 7; as in Class 8 do beaten semi-finalists from one year ago, Brazil’s Luiz Guarnieri and Ecuador’s Paul Polo. Seeking steps higher than last year, it is the same for last year’s runner up in Class 9; Chile’s Manuel Echaveguren is once again in action.

All are contenders for honours but note two names not on duty who were not present last year but are very much in form; both from Indonesia and winners earlier this month in Spain; the names of Adyos Astan in Class 4 and David Jacobs in Class 10 appear on the entry list.

Notable names, in the Women’s Singles events, two names who enjoyed success just under a year are on duty in Buenos Aires; Chile’s Tamara Leonelli, Class 5 gold medallist at the 2017 Para Pan American Championships in San José, Costa Rica, appears on the entry list, as does Class 7-9 bronze medallist, Canada’s Stephanie Chan.

Overall, a total of 84 players appear on the Copa Tango entry list.

2018 Copa Tango Para Open: Latest Results and Main Event Draws

Paralympics Para Table Tennis Mauro Depergola