Return to the field and victory for Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula who passed the first round of the Guadalajara Challenge in Mexico. In reality the two blues have won the group, taking advantage of the withdrawal of the rival couple but has now become practice that the final for first place in the group is not played due to the withdrawal of one of the two teams. A practice that has also been extended to the women’s competition in this tournament with five withdrawals out of six scheduled finals. Result: yesterday a total of 48 games were supposed to be played and 37 were played. Regulations to be changed immediately!
Ranghieri/Carambula’s task was not easy, returning to the field after a stop of over six months also caused by some physical problems of Alex Ranghieri who nevertheless appeared in good condition. Against the Portuguese youth Pedrosa/Campos the Azzurri played a decent first set, going down 13-16, recovering to 18-19 but giving in with the score of 19-21.
In the second set the Italian couple took off in the central part of the set, extending first to 12-7 and then to 17-12, managing to tie the score with a score of 21-17. Tie break literally dominated by the Azzurri who started strong (5-2), increased the lead until 10-4 and went on to serve for the match at 14-6. Some thrills at the end with the Portuguese team coming close to 14-10 at 15-10 which gave the Azzurri the passage to the next round, sealed by the refusal of Horl/Horst to play in the final of the group and therefore by the victory of the group.
This evening at 10pm Ranghieri/Carambula will face the Ukrainians Popov/Reznik, a couple who two seasons ago achieved several prestigious results, from second place in the Dubai Challenge to fourth in the Maldives Challenge. The Ukrainian pair comes from a double 19th place in Saquarema and Recife. In the group Popov/Reznik defeated the Brazilians George/Andrè 2-0, fresh from the triumph in Saquarema. There are no precedents between the two couples.
MEN’S TOURNAMENT
Group semi-finals. Pool F: Evans/Budinger (USA)-Pedro Solberg/Guto (BRA) 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 17-15), Sarabia /Cruz (MEX)-Schalk/Bourne (USA) 0-2 (14-21, 14-21). Pool E: Pfretzschner/Winter (GER)-Mol/Berntsen (NOR) 2-1 (21-18, 17-21, 15-11), George/Andre (BRA)-Popov/Reznik (UKR) 0-2 ( 23-25, 17-21). Pool D: Hörl/Horst (AUT)-Stankevicius/Knasas (LTU) 2-0 (21-16, 21-19), Ranghieri/Carambula (ITA)-Pedrosa/Campos (POR) 2-1 (19-21, 21-17, 15-10). Pool C: Bello/Bello (ENG)-Crabb/Brunner (USA) 1-2 (15-21, 21-16, 13-15), Diaz/Alayo (CUB)-Métral/Jordan (SUI) 2-1 ( 12-21, 21-19, 15-12). Pool B: Hodges/Schubert (AUS)-Bassereau/Lyneel (FRA) 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 15-9), van de Velde/Immers (NED)-Samoilovs/Samoilovs (LAT) 2- 0 (21-19, 21-18). Pool A: Ermacora/Waller (AUT)-Herrera/Gavira (ESP) 0-2 (18-21, 14-21), Evandro/Arthur (BRA)-Smedins/Tocs (LAT) 2-0 (21-13, 21-13).
First place group finals: Evans/Budinger (USA)-Schalk/Bourne (USA) 0-2 (0-21, 0-21), Pfretzschner/Winter (GER)-Popov/Reznik (UKR) 2-0 (21- 0, 21-0), Hörl/Horst (AUT)-Ranghieri/Carambula (ITA) 0-2 (0-21, 0-21), Crabb/Brunner (USA)-Diaz/Alayo (CUB) 0-2 (0-21, 0-21), Hodges/Schubert (AUS)-van de Velde/Immers (NED) 0-2 (0-21, 0 -21), Herrera/Gavira (ESP)-Evandro/Arthur (BRA) 0-2 (0-21, 0-21)
Third place group finals: Pedro Solberg/Guto (BRA)-Sarabia /Cruz (MEX) 2-0 (21-13, 21-16), Mol/Berntsen (NOR)-George/Andre (BRA) 0-2 (14-21, 22- 24), Stankevicius/Knasas (LTU)-Pedrosa/Campos (POR) 2-1 (21-19, 20-22, 18-16), Bello/Bello (ENG)-Métral/Jordan (SUI) 2-1 ( 21-19, 13-21, 15-7), Bassereau/Lyneel (FRA)-Samoilovs/Samoilovs (LAT) 2-0 (22-20, 21-10), Ermacora/Waller (AUT)-Smedins/Tocs ( LAT) 2-1 (19-21, 21-12, 15-6).
Playoffs: Ermacora/Waller (AUT)-Bello/Bello (ENG), George/Andre (BRA)-Stankevicius/Knasas (LTU)
Round of 16: Draw-van de Velde/Immers (NED), Hodges/Schubert (AUS)-Crabb/Brunner (USA), Ranghieri/Carambula (ITA)-Popov/Reznik (UKR), Diaz/Alayo (CUB)-Pedro Solberg/Guto (BRA), Bassereau/Lyneel (FRA)-Schalk/Bourne (USA), Evans/Budinger (USA)-Pfretzschner/Winter (GER), Hörl/Horst (AUT)- Herrera/Gavira (ESP), Evandro/Arthur (BRA)-Draw
WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT
Group semi-finals. Pool A: Agatha/Rebecca (BRA)-Akiko/Ishii (JPN) 1-2 (23-25, 21-13, 11-15), Gutierrez/Flores (MEX)-Wang/Dong (CHN) 1-2 ( 12-21, 21-18, 19-21). Pool E: Liliana/Paula (ESP)-Hermannova/Stochlova (CZE) 2-1 (9-21, 21-13, 15-6), Ahtiainen/Lahti (FIN)-Kotnik/Lovsin (SLO) 2-0 ( 21-15, 21-14), Pool D: Placette/Richard (FRA)-Hildreth/Van Gunst (USA) 2-0 (21-18, 21-15), Álvarez/Moreno (ESP)-Gallay/Churin ( ARG) 2-0 (21-8, 21-15). Pool C: Paulikiene/Raupelyte (LTU)-Vieira/Chamereau (FRA) 2-1 (11-21, 30-28, 18-16), Bansley/Bukovec (CAN)-Gruszczynska/Ola (POL) 0-2 ( 19-21, 20-22). Pool B: Ittlinger/Borger (GER)-Klinger/Klinger (AUT) 2-0 (21-9, 21-12), Pavan/McBain (CAN)-Coakley/Sweat (USA) 1-2 (21-17, 13-21, 7-15). Pool A: Esmée/Zoé (SUI)-Naraphornrapat/Worapeerachayakorn (THA) 1-2 (22-24, 21-15, 12-15), Hüberli/Brunner (SUI)-Savvy/Van Winkle (USA) 2-1 (21-23, 21-14, 15-12).
First place finals: Akiko/Ishii (JPN)-Wang/Dong (CHN) 0-2 (19-21, 14-21), Liliana/Paula (ESP)-Ahtiainen/Lahti (FIN) 0-2 (0-21, 0-21 ), Placette/Richard (FRA)-Álvarez/Moreno (ESP) 2-0 (21-0, 21-0), Paulikiene/Raupelyte (LTU)-Gruszczynska/Ola (POL) 2-0 (21-0, 21 -0), Ittlinger/Borger (GER)-Coakley/Sweat (USA) 2-0 (21-0, 21-0), Naraphornrapat/Worapeerachayakorn (THA)-Hüberli/Brunner (SUI) 0-2 (0-21 , 0-21)
Third place finals: Agatha/Rebecca (BRA)-Gutierrez/Flores (MEX) 2-0 (21-14, 21-8), Hermannova/Stochlova (CZE)-Kotnik/Lovsin (SLO) 1-2 (21-10, 16-21 , 12-15), Hildreth/Van Gunst (USA)-Gallay/Churin (ARG) 2-1 (12-21, 21-17, 15-12), Vieira/Chamereau (FRA)-Bansley/Bukovec (CAN) 1-2 (21-17, 17-21, 11-15), Klinger/Klinger (AUT)-Pavan/McBain (CAN) 2-0 (22-20, 21-17), Esmée/Zoé (SUI)- Savvy/Van Winkle (USA) 2-1 (21-17, 18-21, 15-10)
Playoffs: Hildreth/Van Gunst (USA)-Bansley/Bukovec (CAN), Klinger/Klinger (AUT)-Kotnik/Lovsin (SLO)
Round of 16: Draw-Hüberli/Brunner (SUI), Naraphornrapat/Worapeerachayakorn (THA)-Liliana/Paula (ESP), Ahtiainen/Lahti (FIN)-Gruszczynska/Ola (POL), Wang/Dong (CHN)-Esmée/Zoé (SUI) , Agatha/Rebecca (BRA)-Placette/Richard (FRA), Akiko/Ishii (JPN)-Paulikiene/Raupelyte (LTU), Álvarez/Moreno (ESP)-Coakley/Sweat (USA), Itlinger/Borger (GER)- Draw
