by Ian Marshall, Editor
The no.2 seeds, the Croatian outfit formed by Ivor Ban, the winner the previous day of the junior boys’ singles title, alongside Lovro Zovko and Leon Santek experienced a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the no.7 seeds, Spain’s Iker Gonzalez, Marc Gutierrez and Miguel Angel Pantoja.
Backbone of the success was Marc Gutierrez, he beat both Lovro Zovko (8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6) and Ivor Ban (11-9, 11-8, 11-6).
A surprise defeat for the Croatians, it was the same for the no.4 seeds, the host nation’s Gonçalo Gomez, José Magalhaes and David Bessa; they suffered a 3-2 reverse when facing the no.5 seeds, Spain’s Miguel Nuñez, Albert Villadrell and Norbert Tauler.
Star of the show was Miguel Nuñez, he accounted for both Gonçalo Gomez (7-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10) and José Magalhaes (11-3, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7). The one further win for the Spaniards was secured in the second match of the fixture when Albert Vilardell beat José Magalhaes (11-7, 12-10, 5-11, 4-11, 11-8).
At the semi-final stage Miguel Nuñez, Albert Vilardrell and Norbert Tauler face Nicolas Burgos, Jorge Paredes and Vladislav Ursu; Iker Gonzalez, Marc Gutierrez and Miguel Angel Pantoja confront the no.3 seeds, the Italian combination of Andrea Puppo, John Oyebode and Marco Cappuccio. At the quarter-final stage, the Italians recorded a 3-0 win when facing the no.6 seeds, Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo, Jabdiel Torres and Derek Valentin.
Surprise first places
Unexpected outcomes in the junior boys’ team; it was the same in the junior girls’ team event, a competition in which the main draw has yet to start. Three groups in the initial phase of play, the highest rated outfits in each group all experienced defeats.
The top seeds, the combination of Hungary’s Dari Helga alongside Chile’s Mariam Ruiz and Natasha Ruiz realised a 3-2 defeat when facing Spain’s Alinoha Cristobal, Andrea Perez and Luisa Pintos; likewise the Netherlands’ trio comprising Emne Ernst, Dobrilla Jorguseka and Karlijn Van Lierop suffered a 3-1 reverse when opposing Portugal’s Ines Matos, Patricia Santos and Joana Lopes.
Similarly, it was defeat for the no.3 seeds, a 3-0 loss was the outcome for the international combination of Tunisia’s Fadwa Garci, Portugal’s Ines Batista and Chana Van der Venne of the Netherlands when facing England’s Mollie Patterson, Millie Rogove and Faith Tung.
Defeat but the consolation for the top three seeded outfits was second place in the group and alongside the conquerors progress to the main draw.
Only first place
Meanwhile, in both the cadet boys’ team and cadet girls’ team event, only first position in the group reserved a main draw place.
In the cadet boys’ team event at the semi-final stage Belgium’s Tom Closset and Peru’s Carlos Fernandez face England’s Connor Green and Brazil’s Leonardo Izuka; in the opposite half of the draw, also from Belgium, Gabriel Stanescu partners the Czech Republic’s Matyas Lebeda against the Romanian combination of Dragos Alexandru Bujor, Andrei Teodor Istrate and Horia Stefan Ursut.
At the semi-final stage Tom Closset and Carlos Fernandez recorded a 3-2 win against Spain’s Ander Cipas and Diego Lillo; by the same margin Connor Green and Leonardo Izuka beat Portugal’s Luis Maciel and Silas Monteiro.
Hard fought contests, it was the same for Matyas Lebeda and Gabriel Stanescu in the lower half of the draw; they needed the full five matches to end the hopes of the partnership formed by Chile’s Gonzalo Caico and Mexico’s Rogelio Castro. Rather more comfortably Dragos Alexandru Bujor, Andrei Teodor Istrate and Horia Stefan Ursut recorded a 3-0 win when facing Italy’s Giacomo Allegranza, Federico Vallino Costassa and Daniele Spangolo.
Top teams secure first places
Somewhat differently in the cadet girls’ team event, the main draw has yet to commence; five groups in the initial phase of play, the highest rated outfit in each group emerged successful.
Egypt’s Farida Badawy topped their group as did Italy’s Catelina Angeli and Nicole Arlia; likewise it was first position for Spain’s Yanira Sanchez and Eugenia Sastra as it was for Veranika Varbyova and Vera Volkava of Belarus, alongside Malaysia’s Lee Xin Ni and Tan Teck Heang.
Play in all team events concludes on Saturday 16th November, the penultimate day of action in Guimarães.
