Monday, September 28, 2009
7:39 AM
ITTF Chile Junior Open - Isabelle Repeats Success from Previous 2 Junior Opens
Defensive ace Li Siyun Isabelle remained unbeaten on the final day at the Chile Junior and Cadet Open in Coquimbo. The 15 year old won the final in her age category (Cadets) as well as in the Junior event, repeating the success she enjoyed 7 days ago. This is the fourth title for Isabelle on the ITTF Junior Circuit and already the third this year. She emerged as winner of all three Latin American Junior Circuit events this September in Ecuador, Argentina and Chile.

Neither Brazil’s Caroline Kumahara nor Ariel Hsing of the United States found a way to deal with Li’s style and were unable to challenge the Asian. The 15 year old Cadet-aged Singaporean was just a class of her own. In the Girls' Singles Final, Li crashed Ariel in straight games. She showed no mercy in the Cadet Girls' Event as well, defeating Caroline Kumahara with a 3-0 victory.

Earlier on, Li was part of the Asian Team that won the Girls' Team event. Together with Hong Kong's Shermaine Joey Lam, they beat Americans Lily Zhang and Ariel Hsing. The defensive player, Isabelle, masters spin variations that most of her young opponents have never seen before.

However, Li suffered early round defeat in the Girls' Doubles Event. Together with Hong Kong's Shermaine Joey Lam, they fell in the 2nd round to host nation's Katherine Low and Cristal Meneses. The Chilean played patiently and cleverly, waiting for an opportunity before they strike. And finally their tactic worked! They prevailed in four games 11-6, 11-8, 6-11 and 11-9.

Meanwhile, Chew Zhe Yu Clarence brought home a Bronze Medal from the Cadet Boys' Singles Event. It was a tiring journey for Clarence having to play many matches that stretched to the full games distance. Nonetheless, Clarence put up a good fight before faltering and his performance is definitely commendable. In the same morning, Clarence had to play Ecuador’s Tapia Rodrigo in the Cadet Boys' Singles, where he won 3-2, to secure the Bronze Medal. Minutes after the match, he had to take on Venezuela’s Ascaso Gustavo in the Junior Boys' Event. It was yet another match than went the full 7 games distance. The 2 matches had obviously exhausted the 14 year old Sports School Student. He tried his best to progress in both events, but his opponents proved to be better. He played Jean Lauric after his victory in the same morning, but found the 2nd seed too strong, faltering 4-0. He then lost to Argentina's Saragovi Pablo by the faintest margin of 3-2 in the Cadet Singles Event, settling for Bronze.




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