Sometimes attention can be addictive. Ask Paraguay. (Go ahead, I'll wait.) The South American nation has long been overshadowed in the world of table tennis by Brazil, known for producing world-class Hugos like Hoyama and Calderano. This September, however, the Paraguayan capital of Asunción has been the epicenter of table tennis in the western hemisphere. First, the ITTF-Pan American Championships were held from September 3-8. There, the USA's Lily Zhang won gold in all four of her events, including the women's team championships. Now, the spotlight remains on Asunción as the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Paraguay Open is underway, the first time Paraguay has ever hosted an open international table tennis tournament. Leading the seeding are Japan's Koki Niwa and Puerto Rico's Adriana Diaz. The USA's Kai Zhang, winner of the Pan American mixed doubles last week with (who else?) Lily Zhang, is the lone American to stay and play in Paraguay. Like Matt Damon, always left behind in his movies by American forces, Kai will be forced to rely on his ingenuity to survive. As this second successive international gala marches toward its dramatic conclusion Saturday, Asunción will savor its ascension to prominence. Now that it has tasted glory, how will Paraguay prolong the magic? Stay tuned!

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