Sunday, November 19th, 2023.- Representing Team ParaChile, Macarena Cabrillana secured her spot in the quarterfinals of wheelchair tennis by defeating Ecuadorian Carolina Lasso with a convincing double 6-0 at the central court of the Centro Deportivo de Tenis at the Estadio Nacional.
The Paralympic athlete defeated her opponent in 52 minutes of play and now awaits her opponent for the quarterfinals.
"I am happy, very happy. Starting with a victory, you feel a little relieved. It has been several months of preparation, and there is a lot of expectation, obviously by being a local athlete. People want you to do well; everywhere they support you and want you to reach the final and win a medal, and I appreciate that affection a lot. But I wanted to experience it, wanted to be on the court, do my thing, try to play my best, and I could do it. I could stay focused despite all the external factors such as the heat. The court was a little soft. The truth is that I feel super calm because I gave my best," said the wheelchair tennis player after finishing her match.
In other results of the day, Peru's wheelchair tennis player Ysabelino Apaza defeated Canadian Barry Henderson with a double 6-4 in the round of 32, while Mexico's representative, Carlos Muro, defeated Costa Rican Paralympian Steven Enríquez by 6-4, and 6-3.
It's worth noting that wheelchair tennis follows rules similar to conventional tennis, with the only difference being that the ball is allowed to bounce twice before awarding a point to the opponent. The first bounce must be within the lines of the court. Opponents must hit the ball with their racket over the net located in the middle of the playing field. The goal is to hit it in a way that the opponent cannot return it.
Wheelchair tennis does not require adaptations to the dimensions of the tennis court or the height of the net and is played with conventional tennis balls and rackets. The only specialized equipment is a wheelchair designed for tennis.
Written by Ernesto Bustos B. – Macarena Navias; translated by Pía Barriga Ferry / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Ph: Karin Pozo / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
