Illingworth Gains Revenge Over Galvez

18 Jul 2007

Just 24 hours after losing to the Mexican in the men's individual Pan American Games final, US hero Julian Illingworth gained revenge on the first day of the team event by beating gold medallist Eric Galvez in the opening match of the Pool A tie between USA and favourites Mexico at the Miécimo da Silva Complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

It turned out to be a gruelling day for the 23-year-old from Portland who had first led his squad in the early morning tie against El Salvador. Illingworth went down 9-3, 9-0, 9-6 to Ricardo Weisskopf - but his team-mates saved the day to lead USA to a 2/1 win.

The position was reversed later in the day when the three-times US champion recovered his form to overcome Galvez 9-3, 7-9, 10-8, 9-0 - but this time it was Galvez's team-mates who restored order to take the top seeds to a 2/1 win over USA to finish in first place in the Pool standings.

The success earns Mexico a bye in the quarter-finals as the men's event moves into the knockout stages, while USA will face third seeds Brazil for a place in the semi-finals.

On the first day of the women's team action, new gold medallist Natalie Grainger brushed aside Silvia Angulo Rugeles 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 as favourites USA defeated Colombia 3/0. The US squad now face fourth seeds Brazil in the final tie in Pool A.

Men's quarter-final line-up
[1] MEXICO bye
[4] COLOMBIA v ARGENTINA
[3] BRAZIL v USA
[2] CANADA bye

Men's qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] MEXICO bt EL SALVADOR 3-0
Eric Galvez bt Ricardo Weisskopf 9-4, 9-3, 9-4
Marcos Mendez bt Byron Garcia 9-7, 9-5, 9-1
Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira bt Nelson Coronado 9-3, 9-6, 9-2
USA bt EL SALVADOR 2-1
Julian Illingworth lost to Ricardo Weisskopf 3-9, 0-9, 6-9
Christopher Gordon bt Nelson Coronado 9-5, 9-2, 9-0
Jamie Crombie bt Byron Garcia 9-1, 9-1, 9-5
[1] MEXICO bt USA 2-1
Eric Galvez lost to Julian Illingworth 3-9, 9-7, 8-10, 0-9
Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira bt Christopher Gordon 7-9, 9-4, 9-5, 9-2
Marcos Mendez bt Jamie Crombie 9-4, 9-3, 9-0
Final positions: 1 Mexico, 2 USA, 3 El Salvador
Pool B:
[2] CANADA bt ARGENTINA 3-0
Shahier Razik bt Roberto Pezzota 9-0, 9-1, 9-3
Shawn Delierre bt Rodrigo Pezzota 7-9, 9-2, 4-9, 9-4, 9-1
Robin Clarke bt Matias Valenzuela 9-6, 9-8, 9-6
[2] CANADA bt GUATEMALA 2-1
Shahier Razik bt Jose Paulo Mendez 9-2, 9-2, 9-2
Robin Clarke bt Mauricio Sedano 9-1, 9-6, 9-3
Shawn Delierre lost to Luis Asturias 4-9, 4-9, 9-1, 7-9
ARGENTINA bt GUATEMALA 3-0
Roberto Pezzota bt Jose Paulo Mendez 9-0, 9-5, 9-1
Rodrigo Pezzota bt Luis Asturias 5-9, 10-8, 9-7, 9-4
Matias Valenzuela bt Mauricio Sedano 9-2, 9-2, 9-1
Final positions: 1 Canada, 2 Argentina, 3 Guatemala
Pool C:
[3] BRAZIL bt [4] COLOMBIA 2-1
Rafael F Alarcon bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez 9-4, 9-5, 9-0
Ronivaldo Santos lost to Bernardo Samper 3-9, 6-9, 9-5, 6-9
Luciano Alves Barbosa bt Javier Castilla Conde 9-0, 9-0, 9-0
[3] BRAZIL bt PERU 3-0
Rafael F Alarcon bt Jose Manuel Elias 9-0, 10-9, 9-7
Ronivaldo Santos bt Mauricio Dasso 9-1, 9-3, 9-2
Luciano Alves Barbosa bt Andres Duany 9-7, 9-1, 9-4
[3] BRAZIL bt VENEZUELA 3-0
Rafael F Alarcon bt Hernan Augusto Marino Osorio 9-0, 9-1, 9-3
Luciano Alves Barbosa bt Luis Hernandes 9-0, 9-0, 9-0
Ronivaldo Santos bt Francisco Valecillo 9-4, 9-4, 9-1
[4] COLOMBIA bt PERU 2-1
Miguel Angel Rodriguez lost to Jose Manuel Elias 9-1, 6-9, 4-9, 6-9
Javier Castilla Conde bt Andres Duany 9-3, 7-9, 9-2, 4-9, 9-1
Bernardo Samper bt Mauricio Dasso 9-0, 9-0, 9-1
[4] COLOMBIA bt VENEZUELA 2-1
Miguel Angel Rodriguez bt Hernan Augusto Marino Osorio 9-3, 7-9, 9-4, 9-0
Bernardo Samper bt Francisco Valecillo 9-0, 9-0, 9-1
Javier Castilla Conde lost to Luis Hernandes 0-9, 0-9, 0-9
PERU bt VENEZUELA 2-1
Jose Manuel Elias bt Hernan Augusto Marino Osorio 9-7, 9-4, 9-2
Mauricio Dasso lost to Francisco Valecillo 9-10, 10-8, 8-10, 1-9
Andres Duany bt Luis Hernandes 9-3, 9-0, 9-0
Final positions: 1 Brazil, 2 Colombia, 3 Peru, 4 Venezuela

Women's qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] USA bt COLOMBIA 3-0
Natalie Grainger bt Silvia Angulo Rugeles 9-0, 9-0, 9-0
Michelle Quibell bt Catalina Pelaez 9-2, 9-1, 9-3
Latasha Khan bt Isabel Restrepo 9-2, 9-0, 10-8
COLOMBIA bt [4] BRAZIL 2-1
Silvia Angulo Rugeles bt Thaisa Serafini 9-6, 9-5, 9-1
Isabel Restrepo lost to Karen Redfern 9-5, 0-9, 0-9, 5-9
Catalina Pelaez bt Mariana Pontalti 10-8, 6-9, 9-6, 9-5
Pool B:
[2] MEXICO bt ARGENTINA 3-0
Samantha Teran bt Luz Etchechoury 9-3, 9-4, 9-0
Nayelly Hernandez bt Fernanda Rocha 9-2, 9-5, 9-4
Karina Herrera Zuniga bt Antonella Falcione 9-3, 9-1, 9-3
[3] CANADA bt ARGENTINA 3-0
Runa Reta bt Luz Etchechoury 9-0, 9-0, 9-5
Alana Miller bt Antonella Falcione 9-4, 9-0, 9-1
Carolyn Russell bt Fernanda Rocha 9-3, 9-1, 9-1