by Ian Marshall, Editor
Confident after her Women’s Singles endeavours, she overcame Adriana Diaz in the opening match of the engagement (9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8), before a most spirited performance by Nicolas Burgos, recovering from a 6-3 deficit in the decisive fifth game, to beat Vladimir Sidorenko (11-5, 8-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-9) levelled matters.
Defeat for Vladimir Sidorenko but arguably the balance was in favour of the Russian duo. A left and right handed combination, from the same national association and thus having greater opportunities to practise their doubles’ skills than the Latin Americans, they recorded a straight games success (11-9, 11-2, 11-9).
“I think I played awful, I’m not feeling very good here but I hope I can play better. It’s very good getting to pair with a player from another country, Nicolas is playing good here and I’m very happy for him.” Adriana Diaz
“At the start, Adriana was under pressure but she played well, it’s a pity that she eventually lost thee-one in the first match. Second match I was initially playing not very good but then I became comfortable playing my forehand, backhand and serves, my receive was especially important in winning my match against Sidorenko. The doubles was tough, Tailakova and Sidorenko know each other well and their co-ordination was good, on the other hand, this is my first time playing with Adriana, so it was really hard.” Nicolas Burgos
Problems for Nicolas Burgos and Adriana Diaz, there were also difficult times for the no.8 seeds, the Egyptian partnership formed by Youssef Abdel-Aziz and Marwa Alhodaby. A two-one victory margin was the outcome against the partnership formed by Moldova’s Vladimir Ursu and Slovenia’s Aleksandra Vovk; a contest in which Youssef Abdel-Aziz almost came to grief.
After Marwa Alhodaby had beaten Aleksandra Vovk (11-6, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6); Youssef Abdel-Aziz had to withstand a brave recovery by Vladimir Ursu before emerging successful in five games (11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 11-4), with the benefit of hindsight, the win proved crucial. The Egyptians lost the doubles contest in straight games (11-8, 11-9, 11-8).
A two matches to one win for Egypt, in the same group such was the margin of victory for Brazil, the no.11 seeds, as Latin American pride was upheld. Bruna Takahashi, in a very similar manner to Mariia Tailakova, proved the mainstay of the success against Malaysia, the no.28 seeds. She beat Alice Li Sian Chang (11-7, 11-5, 11-7), before teaming with Guilherme Teodoro to secure the doubles (11-8, 11-9, 11-8). Sandwiched in between, Guilherme Teodoro had experienced defeat by the very narrowest of margins against Javen Choong (10-12, 11-4, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9).
Play in the initial phase of the Mixed Team event concludes on Saturday 13th October,
