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Guerrero concludes 2013 at full-speed
Ariel B. Coya
NO
doubt, 2013 has been Osleni Guerrero’s year. Even
though he is not satisfied with his debut in
international competition, Cuba’s best badminton
player toped off an extraordinary season with his
victory in the 4th Mexican International Open. His
accomplishments for the year include seven
tournament titles, making the finals in nine others,
for a total of 38 victories in 42 games.
His
last four victories in a row allowed him to win the
tournament in Guadalajara, where he defeated
Brazilian Daniel Paiola in a 34-minute final, 21-16
and 21-17, after dispensing with local favorite Lino
Muñoz (20-22, 21-17 and 22-20), Italy’s Rosario
Maddaloni (21-11 and 21-10), and Bjorn Seguin from
the United States (21-11 and 21-18), in this order,
giving up only one set to Muñoz.
He
did arrive as the first to qualify and was clearly
the favorite, but this status was earned game by
game, until he took a leap in the rankings, which
currently place him as the number one player in
Latin America, 55th worldwide, based on the 2,500
points he has accumulated, including those won in
Mexico.
Points, sets and victories from the racket of Osleni,
who in 2014 will surely continue to shine with the
same intensity.
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