DEFENDING CHAMPIONS START WELL
14 Apr 2023 | News |
Defending champions start well
THE FIRST GAMES OF THE CESTA ALL STAR WERE PLAYED THURSDAY EVENING, AT JAI ALAI IN SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ. THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS, JON TAMBOURINDÉGUY AND IMANOL LOPEZ HELD THEIR RANK.
They know that. For this second edition, Jon Tambourindéguy and Imanol Lopez, defending champions, are the men to beat. As soon as they entered the running, this Thursday evening, against Xabi Barandika and Thibault Basque, they were jostled. Timorous at the start of the game, they needed a few points to find their bearings. Neck and neck at the start of the first set (6-6), they then dominated the exchanges to win comfortably 15-9.
In the second round, however, Barandika-Basque gave them more trouble. We had to be patient for the defending champions who didn't give up. The two teams remained neck and neck throughout this second round. Tambourindéguy-Lopez won 15-13 and thus avoided an always tricky third round. “We had some difficulties at the start of the game. There is a lot of adversity, each game will be very hard, says Jon Tambourindéguy. Imanol was very present in the exchanges, he adjusted his backhand well to the back wall and let me get good balls at the rebote. The second round was much tougher. We pass in front with a good stroke of luck on the last point .
They will play their second group game next Thursday against Olharan-Minvielle. A team that Jon Tambourindéguy is wary of: “It's a very close-knit team. They are very accomplished, it helps on the kantxa. It's a very strong pair but I think we have our chances, if we manage to get in place from the start of the game.
In the other pool, Iñaki Goikoetxea and Txabi Inza also successfully entered the competition against Ludovic Laduche and Unai Lekerika. The latter were eye-catching in the first set, taking advantage of a few unforced errors from Txabi Inza. However, it was Goikoetxea-Inza who won this first round 15-11. In the second round, stop laughing. Txabi Inza was much more precise and no longer left easy points for his opponents. Laduche-Lekerika did try to avoid Goikoetxea in front, but behind Txabi Inza was very good in defense. From the beginning to the end of this round, Laduche-Lekerika were dominated and committed several unforced errors. The sentence was immediate: 15-6 victory for Goikoetxea-Inza.
Next Thursday, Laduche-Lekerika will have to win against Erkiaga-Zabala if they want to hope to qualify for the semi-finals. Same thing for Barandika-Basque who will face Olharan-Minvielle on Tuesday evening.
Program
Tuesday April 18
6 p.m.: Erkiaga-Zabala vs. Goikoetxea-Inza
7:15 p.m.: Olharan-Minvielle vs. Barandika-Basque
Thursday April 20
6 p.m.: Laduche-Lekerika vs. Erkiaga-Zabala
7:15 p.m.: Olharan-Minvielle vs. Tambourindéguy-Lopez
