by Ian Marshall, Editor

Pride of place went to Mileysha Sanchez, she accounted for El Salvador’s Keren Constanza (11-4, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4), the most prominent name in the initial phase of play.

Success for the Puerto Rican against the highest rated player in the group; it was the same from Emely Quinllin, Rachel Yang and Natalie Ramos. Emely Quinllin beat Paraguay’s Leyla Gomez (14-12, 5-11, 11-6, 8-11, 12-10); Rachel Yang accounted for Mexico’s Muñoz (11-4, 11-4, 11-5), Natalie Ramos overcame Guatemala’s Mercedes Mendizabal (7-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8).

Defeats for prominent names but the only defeats; thus second places and progress to the main draw was achieved.

However, for Joyce Xu and Anais Leon Chapa, life was somewhat different. Chile’s Claudia Infante, the highest rated player in the group lost to both Joyce Xu (11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9) and the Dominican Republic’s Esmerlyn Castro (12-10, 11-6, 12-14, 8-11, 12-10); third place was her lot. In the opening match, Joyce Xu had beaten Esmerlyn Castro (10-12, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7) and thus ended the day in first place.

Meanwhile, for Anais Leon Chapa she experienced defeat at the hands of Puerto Rico’s Fabiola Diaz, the leading name in the group, in four games (11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8). Later in the concluding match, she recovered to beat Paraguay’s Cielo Mutti in three straight games (11-9, 11-8, 11-2). Earlier, Cielo Mutti had overcome Fabiola Diaz in five games (11-6, 4-11, 20-18, 6-11, 11-9).

Thus games ratio decided; it was first place for Anais Leon Chapa (4:3) ahead of Fabiola Diaz (5:4) and Cielo Mutti (3:5).

In the remaining groups, it was as status advised, there were first places for Canada’s Ivy Liao and Benita Zhou, as there were for Crystal Wang of the United States, Argentina’s Camila Kaizoji, El Salvador’s Monica Mendoza and Brazil’s Anais Leon Chapa.

Play in the Junior Girls’ Singles event progresses to the quarter-final stage on Saturday 14th July.