Santos wins elusive Carib TT Champs title

Emil Santos and Yasiris Ortiz of the Dominican Republic played the final shot of their country's dominant performance at the 60th Caribbean Table Tennis Championships, which ended on Saturday at the National Arena. World-ranked at 179, Santos beat teammates in the semi-final and final to win a title he had been chasing for seven years. Ortiz upset her top-rated compatriot, Eva Brito, to get the women's singles crown.

After fighting past Isaac Vila 11-4, 14-16, 11-8, 11-6, 7-11, 6-11, 11-6 in the semis, Santos used his skillful serves and all-around attacking play to seize the title from last year's winner, Samuel Galvez, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10, 11-7. "I feel really happy for finally winning the title. [I have] been waiting seven years for it," he said afterwards with quiet satisfaction.

"I think I played very good today, although I have a sad feeling that I had to beat my teammates because we are like really, really, really good friends," he graciously extended. "If I could share the first place with them, I would do it, because it's a little bit sad."

Asked what the key was to his win in the final, he said, "My serve and my receptions were quite good. I know my teammate very well, so I knew what I had to do to win the match."

Santos believes that his former Texas Wesleyan University coaches, retired Yugoslavia star Jasna Rather and Jamaica's 1990 national champion, Keith Evans will be delighted at his success. "I think Keith knows that I've been trying hard to win this tournament, so I hope he feels happy. For sure, he will feel happy, and Jasna also," he reflected.

Santos attended Texas Wesleyan up until 2017.

PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

Ortiz and Brito survived Guyanese challengers in the semi-finals. Ortiz was pushed to the limit by Trenace Lowe but won 11-4, 12-14, 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 5-11, 13-1, while Brito, world-ranked at 193, stopped Under-21 winner Chelsea Edghill 11-9, 11-3, 11-6, 11-2. Then, world no. 236 Ortiz beat Brito, the top seed, 11-8, 5-11, 13-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6 in the final.

The Dominican Republic double on Saturday added to titles already won in the men's and women's team event and the men's, women's and mixed doubles. In a contest that started on September 23, Guyana were the strongest rivals and faced the Dominican Republic in both team finals. Guyana produced both Under-21 champions, Edghill and left-handed Shemar Britton.