Celebrations for Slovakia at Guatemala Junior and Cadet Open
August 9, 2010

Samuel Novota, the Junior Boys' Singles champion Photo by Fernando Aguilar

Courtesy of ITTF Slovakia’s Samuel Novota and Barbora Balazova imposed their authority on proceedings at the Guatemala Junior and Cadet Open on Saturday August 7, 2010. They captured the respective Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ Singles titles, without ever being extended the full seven games distance; in so doing enhanced their chances of an invitation to the Indian city of Hyderabad in November for the ITTF Junior Circuit Finals.

Both occupied the no.1 seeded position in the draw, both thoroughly justified the exalted status; whatever pressure there may have been in being the favorites for gold was met with equanimity.

Unrepentant
Samuel Novota who won the Junior Boys’ Singles title in Guatemala in 2009 beat El Salvador’s Luis Mejia at the semi-final stage before defeating the host nation’s Allan Guttierez in the final.

Meanwhile, Barbora Balazova was in a similar unrepentant mood; she defeated Guatemala’s promising Analdy Lopez at the penultimate stage before securing gold at the hands of Ecuador’s second seeded, Tania Almendariz.

Third Title
It was for Samuel Novota his fourth ever Junior Boys’ Singles title on the ITTF Junior Circuit and the victory underlines his liking for Latin America; following his success in Guatemala in 2009 he won later in the year in Chile.

As for Barbora Balazova it was her second Junior Girls’ Singles crown on the ITTF Junior Circuit and in Guatemala the efforts of the Slovakians at the Italian Junior Open were repeated.

Italian Repeat
In Lignano they departed as the respective Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ Singles champions, in Guatemala City, they repeated the achievement.

Barbora Balazova the Junior Girls’ Singles winner in Guatemala City.
Photo by Fernando Aguilar