Ferrer and Vegas give Venezuela their first win in Dakar 2026

Published at: 01/11/2026 11:27 AM

Venezuela won its first victory at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, after the victory of tennis players Dakota Ferrer and Jonathan Vegas, who beat Algerians Aylan Goudjil and Tania Morice 3-1 (11-9, 14-12, 6-11 and 11-7) in the mixed doubles.

With this result, the Venezuelan duo advanced to the quarterfinals of the competition, where they will face their counterpart from Thailand. Venezuelans managed to recover from a hesitant start and an unfavorable third set to secure qualification at the Exhibition Center in the Senegalese capital, according to a press release from the Ministry of Sport.

Vegas analyzed the match and recognized the nerves of the debut. “We felt anxious in the first set. We left a little bit in the third set, but I kept my partner tall so her mood wouldn't go down. We screamed to have the highest attitude and regain consistency at the table,” said the athlete.

For his part, Ferrer highlighted the previous preparation they carried out in China. “In the concentration we had, we practiced all the small details enough so that here in the competition we get all the blows we want,” he said.

Regarding the next challenge against Thailand, Vegas expressed respect for the rival. “They're good players, but the ball is round and we'll see what happens at the table,” he said. Meanwhile, Ferrer expressed his goal of getting on the podium: “We are very pleased to win our first match, and now we are going to prepare to be on that podium with the best medal.”

On Sunday, both athletes will begin their respective group duels in the individual championship. Ferrer will compete in group 3 and Vegas in bracket 8.

Mazo News Team