by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

At the final hurdle Eric Jouti and Gui Lin accounted for Chile’s Juan Lamadrid and Paulina Vega (11-13, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10), after having overcome colleagues, Hunberto Manhani and Jessica Yamada in the penultimate round (11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 14-16, 11-6). In the corresponding semi-final, Juan Lamadrid and Paula Vega dented Brazilian aspirations by overcoming Vitor Ishiy and Bruna Takahashi (9-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8).

Meanwhile, in both the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events matters advanced to the quarter-final round; each event witnessed casualties. Notably the Mixed Doubles silver medallists did not enjoy the best of fortunes.

Juan Lamadrid was beaten in the second round of the Men’s Singles event by Cuba’s Livan Martinez (9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8, 13-11), whilst Paulina Vega departed at the same stage of the Women’s Singles competition. Beaten by Jessica Yamada in the group phase (11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 17-15), Paulina Vega, the top seed, had to settle for second place in her group; in the main draw she beat the host nation’s Idalys Lovet (6-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8), prior to losing to Bruna Takahashi, the no.2 seed (14-12, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7).

Two quarter-finalists, there was one more, Humberto Manhani. In the second round of the Men’s Singles event he beat Chile’s Felipe Olivares, the no.3 seed in a close seven games duel decided by the minimal two point margin (11-5, 12-14, 9-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9), the Brazilian being very much the player who enjoying life on the knife-edge. In the opening round he had ended the hopes of Cuba’s Jorge Campos by the same margin in the seventh game (13-15, 11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9).

Play concludes on Friday 9th March.

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Men’s Team & Women’s Team – Seeding (Sunday 4th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Men’s Team (Wednesday 7th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Women’s Team (Wednesday 7th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Men’s Singles First Stage (Thursday 8th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Men’s Singles Main Draw (Thursday 8th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Women’s Singles First Stage (Thursday 8th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Women’s Singles Main Draw (Thursday 8th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Men’s Doubles (Wednesday 7th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Women’s Doubles (Wednesday 7th March)

2018 Latin American Senior Championships: Results – Mixed Doubles (Thursday 8th March)