by Ian Marshall

It is for Jeremy Cedeno and Diego Piguave a chance to test their skills at senior level; both having struck gold at the Youth Contender tournament.

Notably Diego Piguave emerged the under 19 boys’ singles winner, Jeremy Cedeno claimed gold in the counterpart under 17 boys’ singles event.

Likewise, Ecuadorian attention in the men’s singles event will also focus on Emiliano Riofrio and Rodrigo Tapia; players who enjoyed success at youth level.

Both left handers, now 23 years old, Emiliano Riofrio won the cadet boys’ singles title at the 2013 Latin American Junior and Cadet Championships in Lima; Rodrigo Tapia, 27 years of age, was on duty at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Somewhat at the other end of the age scale, the name of 43-year-old Geovanny Coello appears. Thoroughly reliable, he has been a stalwart of the Ecuador national team for over two decades.

Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, the Ecuadorian name to note is that of 20-year-old Nathaly Paredes; like Emiliano Riofrio and Rodrigo Tapia, a player who enjoyed success in teenage days.

On the ITTF World Junior Circuit, she was the junior girls’ singles runner up in 2018 in Paraguay and one year later in Santiago.

Equally, Mexico’s Dario Arce and Juan Jesus Gomez appear on the men’s singles list, as do those of their colleagues, Clio Barcenas and Arantxa Cossio; aspiring young players, earlier this year all enjoyed success at Central American tournaments.

Similar to Jeremy Cedeno and Diego Piguave, in Cuenca it is a case of moving to the next step.

The tournament presents opportunities but to gain a place on the medal podium, Indian adversaries will no doubt have to be overcome.

Both Mudi Dani and Sanil Shetty appear on the men’s singles list, for the women Ankita Das and Reeth Tennison.