08/20/2012        2012 El Salvador Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Junior Circuit

The winner earlier in the year in Malta and Mexico, Puerto Rico’s 18 year old Carelyn Cordero won the Junior Girls’ Singles title at the El Salvador Junior and Cadet Open, which concluded in the Central American country’s capital city of San Salvador, on Sunday 19th August 2012.

Occupying the top seeded position in the draw, she justified her exalted status by overcoming Sweden’s Maria Engelson, the no.5 seed, in the quarter-finals (11-6, 11-3, 12-14, 11-8), before ending Indian aspirations.

At the semi-final stage she beat Sutirtha Mukherjee, the no.9 seed (7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5), before clinching the title at the final expense of Sagarika Mukherjee (11-6, 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 20-22, 11-8).

Surprise Appearance
The appearance of 14 year old Sagarika Mukherjee in the final, a player with no World ranking and 15 year old Sutirtha Mukherjee in the penultimate round was a surprise.

However, one week earlier in Guatemala, Sutirtha Mukherjee had excelled all expectations by winning both the Junior Girls’ and Cadet Girls’ Singles titles.

Impressed Again
In Guatemala City she had impressed; likewise, she impressed in San Salvador.

On her first visit to the table in the Junior Girls’ Singles event she beat Chinese Taipei’s Hung Hung (12-10, 11-13, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10), the player who later in the proceedings was to finish in runners up spot in the Cadet Girls’ Singles event, before ousting colleague Priyadashini Das in the quarter-finals (11-5, 11-8, 11-6, 12-10).

Major Surprise
Following her exploits in Guatemala, the appearance of Sutirtha Mukherjee in the latter stages was no great surprise. The appearance of Sagarika Mukherjee most certainly raised the eyebrows.

She ousted Uruguay’s Maria-Pia Lorenzotti, the no.10 seed (11-5, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3), before overcoming Sweden’s Linda Bergström, the no.2 seed, in the semi-finals (11-13, 12-14, 11-8, 11-4, 11-2, 11-7) and Indian National Team colleague, Ayhika Mukherjee, the no.8 seed in the semi-finals (8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4).

Excelled in Cadet Girls’ Singles
Equally, in the Cadet Girls’ Singles event, Sagarika Mukherjee excelled.

She ousted El Salvador’s Emme Arias, the no.8 seed in the semi-finals (11-5, 11-2, 11-8), before losing to the champion elect, colleague Sumana Saha (12-14, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7).

The no.7 seed, Sumana Saha had upset the pecking order by beating Ayhika Mukherjee, the top seed, in the quarter-finals (11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7); in what proved her toughest test in the second stage of proceedings.

A Fine Effort from Hung Hung
In the final, she accounted Hung Hung, the no.5 seed, in four games (11-7, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10); the 13 year old from Chinese Taipei having beaten Priyadarshini Das, the no.14 seed, in the quarter-finals (4-11, 12-10, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5) and Sutirtha Mukherjee, the no.2 seed, in the semi-finals (5-11, 11-4, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8).

Doubles Success
Defeat for Hung Hung in the final of the Cadet Girls’ Singles event but there was success; partnering colleague Kuo Chia-Yun, the duo justified their top seeded position in the draw by overcoming the third seeded Indian outfit of Priyadarshini Das and Ayhika Mukherjee in the final (7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7).

At the semi-final stage Priyadarshini Das and Ayhika Mukherjee had upset the seeding by beating Venezuela’s Josmary Lucena and Neridee Niño, the no.2 seeds (11-6, 11-5, 11-7); whilst in the opposite half of the draw Hung Hung and Kuo Chia-Yun had accounted for Sagarika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee, the no.4 seeds (11-8, 11-3, 10-12, 6-11, 11-9).

Silver Turns to Gold
A silver medal in the Cadet Girls’ Doubles event for Priyadarshini Das; in the Mini-Cadet Girls’ Singles it was gold.

She beat Ishana Deb of the United States in the final, recording and impressive straight games victory (11-2, 11-2, 11-2).

Further Title for Latin America
Success for visitors from Asia and, in addition to Carelyn Cordero’s Junior Girls’ Singles title, there was further success for Latin America.

The Dominican Republic’s Eva Brito, in partnership with Uruguay’s Maria-Pia Lorenzotti, won the Junior Girls’ Doubles title.

Road to Gold
Listed in the fourth seeded place in the draw, they beat Puerto Rico’s Carelyn Cordero and Daniely Rios, the no.2 seeds, in the semi-finals (7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-8, 11-9), before overcoming Venezuela’s Gremlis Arvelo and Winberly Montero, the no.3 seeds, in the final (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6).

In the counterpart semi-final, Gremlis Arvelo and Winberly Montero had beaten Sweden’s Linda Bergström and Maria Engelson, the no.1 seeds, in five games (11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3).