Pablo Tabachnik Upsets Seeding but to Maintain Record Must Achieve a First
2015 Pan American Games
Courtesy of ITTF

July 23, 2015 – A debut on home soil, when 17 years old in Mar del Plata in 1995, Pablo Tabachnik moved one step closer to extending his incredible record at the Pan American Games on the late afternoon of Thursday July 23rd.

He has won a medal in each edition of the multi-sport gathering since making his first appearance two decades ago; in his sixth consecutive presence, in Markham, Toronto, he upset the pecking order in the group stage of the Men’s Singles event by beating the Puerto Rican hero of the Men’s Team event, Brian Afanador in five games (13-11, 11-13, 11-4, 11-5, 11-9).

Brian Afanador is the no.7 seed, Pablo Tabachnik is the no.13 seed; the result means that after two series of matches in the group stage of affairs, the experienced Argentine remains unbeaten.

One day earlier, in his opening encounter, he accounted for Paraguay’s Axel Gavilan, the no.33 seed, as expected (11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-2).

Well Prepared
“In Argentina we have prepared really thoroughly for this tournament”, explained Pablo Tabachnik. “In January we had a training camp in Mendoza; then in February we were in Falkenberg, Sweden; after that in May we practiced at the Werner Schlager Academy in Austria, before immediately prior to this tournament having a 10 day training camp in Buenos Aires.”

Notably, Mendoza is the home for the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Argentina Open to be held later this year in September.

Generations Apart
“Brian and myself, we are from different generations, I’m old!” smiled a perspiring Pablo Tabachnik.

Brian Afanador was born two years after Pablo Tabachnik made his Pan American Games debut in 1995!

Changes
“I kept making changes to try to stop Brian establishing a rhythm to his play”, explained Pablo Tabachnik. “I’m left handed so with my serves, it was more difficult for Brian to make the banana backhand return; he didn’t receive too well and also today my forehand, my best stroke, was strong.”

Never Won
Success, for Pablo Tabachnik but if he is to maintain his record, he must win a medal in the event in which he has never won a medal.

In Toronto, Argentina suffered quarterfinal defeat in the Men’s Team event; Pablo Tabachnik has never won a Men’s Singles Pan American Games medal.

Medals
On debut, in 1995, he won Men’s Doubles silver with Martin Paradela; four years later in 1999 in Winnipeg, it was the same color medal in the Men’s Team event in harness with Liu Song and Juan Ferry.

Likewise, in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro and in 2011 in Guadalajara it was Men’s Team silver; again Liu Song was in the team but there was no Juan Ferry, the further member was Gaston Alto.

The one remaining appearance was in 2003 in Santo Domingo; on that occasion he secured bronze in the Men’s Doubles in partnership with Liu Song.

Defeat for Colleague
Success for Pablo Tabachnik against expectations; alas for his colleague, Gaston Alto, it was defeat against expectations.

The no.9 seed, he was beaten by Timothy Wang of the United States, the no.14 seed (11-6, 11-9, 1-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-6).

Favorites Succeed
Two upsets, for the two remaining players in action, who occupied the highest seeded position the group as the second session of play began on the fifth day of action in Toronto, it was success.

Ecuador’s Alberto Miño, the no.8 seed, beat Cuba’s Jorge Campos, the no.12 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-4, 11-2), Paraguay’s Marcelo Aguirre, the no.10 seed, caused Puerto Rico more pain; he beat Daniel Gonzalez, the no.11 seed (11-7, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5).

Players finishing in first and second places in each of the ten groups qualify for the main draw.

Qualification Groups: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles

Day Five: Play continued in the first stage of the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events
Photos by Thorsten Gohl

2015 Pan American Games: Quotes of the Day – Thursday July 23rd