Notícia

BRAZILIANS MAKE A IMPRESSIVE START IN CHILE

Por CBTM

It has been a busy time for Brazilian players in recent weeks; the Latin American Championships in Guarulhos in late March, then Liebherr Brazilian Open in Belo Horizonte last week. Now for the quartet of Lígia Silva, Carina Murashige, Mariany Nonaka and Karin Sako, it's the Liebherr Chile Open in Santiago.

A hectic schedule but all four are responding to the rigours of international table tennis.

In Santiago all four won their opening matches in the qualification stage of the Women's Singles event, all four succeeded in straight games and all four beat Chilean adversaries.

Testing Time
Lígia Silva beat Gabriela Aqueveque, Carina Murashige overcame Javiera Sanhueza, Mariany Nonaka defeated Constanza Escobar and Karin Sako accounted for Nicole Rojas. It was a very testing time for the young Chileans, quite simply they were inexperienced on the international scene; the Brazilians were comfortable with the surroundings.

Although it was Santiago, the Brazilians were very much at home, the Chileans were in a different land.

Mistakes
"I tried to play too fast", smiled fifteen year old Nicole Rojas from Santiago who had come close in the opening game against Karin Sako. "I made lots of mistakes", she reflected. "Karin's topspin play was very good, that was the big difference."

Improved
Karin Sako is one of Brazil's most improved players in the past twelve months; she impressed at the World Junior Championships in Egypt in December 2006. Increasingly she is acclimatising to international play and if she had a problem in her contest against Nicole Rojas it was one of adjustment.

"I didn't play well at the Latin American Championships but at the Liebherr Brazilian Open I played much better", said Karin Sako. "Today, it took time to get used to conditions; also Nicole played a little slower than I expected so timing the ball in the early part of the match was a problem."

Too Experienced
The problems were soon overcome as they were for Lígia Silva, the Women's Singles silver medallist at the Latin American Championships; she was simply far too experienced for Gabriela Aqueveque.

"I feel very calm here in Santiago, mentally very good", explained Lígia Silva who had underlined one of the reasons why she enjoyed an opening match success; she was at home in the international arena. "I'm pleased with how I'm playing", she continued. "I think my level of play at both the Latin American Championships and the Liebherr Brazilian Open has been constant."

Philosophical
It was a tough lesson for poor Gabriela Aqueveque who was philosophical about the outcome. "It was really hard to control the ball and she didn't make any mistakes", smiled the eighteen year old from the host city. "I know I must be patient but that's hard for Chileans, we are not patient people, today I was really anxious, I tried to win the points far too quickly; I know it will take time before I can play like Lígia."

It will take time but at least Gabriela Aqueveque realises that to progress to the level of Lígia Silva necessitates hours of hard work and an immense amount of dedication.

Pleased
Success for Lígia Silva and Karin Sako; likewise Mariany Nonaka and Carina Murashige were pleased with their efforts.

"I didn't play that well at the Latin American Championships in Guarulhos, it was my first international tournament of the year", explained Mariany Nonaka. "However, I played better last week in Belo Horizonte but I'm really poor against defensive players; I lost easily to Yuki Nonaka but today I feel fine."

The Brazilian did suffer at the hands of the Japanese defender but in the team event at the Latin American Championships she won gold and she won vital matches for Brazil; in Guarulhos she responded when country called.

Rhythm
It was a similar situation for Carina Murashige. "I didn't play too well at the Latin American Championships", she said; a modest comment, like Mariany Nonaka she played a vital role in Brazil's success in the Women's Team event.

"In Belo Horizonte I played much better", she continued. "My opponent today used long pimples on the backhand, so it was hard to get into a rhythm in the match but my head was good today and when my head's good, I play well."

Impressive Style
Carina Murashige did play well on Wednesday 18th April 2007 in Santiago and so did her colleagues Lígia Silva, Mariany Nonaka and Karin Sako; all four members of the Brazilian women's team at the Liebherr Chile Open started their programme in style, in very impressive style.

ITTF - Ian Marshall