Kätlin Riidebach and Ain Villau, the Estonian wheelchair curling duo, faced a setback at the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics after starting strong with two consecutive wins. Their first defeat came on Thursday evening against the USA, where they initially led the match but faltered in the subsequent rounds due to a series of poor plays, allowing the Americans to secure an 8:4 victory. This loss marked a significant moment in the tournament for the Estonian pair, who had previously triumphed against Great Britain and Italy.

In the match against the USA, Riidebach and Villau began with momentum, securing a two-point lead early on. However, as the match progressed, their performance declined, and they conceded seven points over the next three ends, unable to regain their composure despite a slight recovery before the fifth end. The Americans' defensive strategy proved effective, helping them maintain control and ultimately win the match convincingly.

Looking ahead, Kätlin Riidebach and Ain Villau are set to continue their campaign on Friday against Latvia, with their performance being closely followed by local fans. The match will be broadcast live on ETV2 and the ERR sports portal, indicating the significant interest and support for the Estonian team in the Paralympics as they strive to bounce back from this defeat and achieve their goals in the tournament.