by Ian Marshall, Editor
After accounting for Guyana’s Joel Alleyne and Nigel Bryan in the opening round of the Men’s Doubles competition (11-5, 11-6, 12-10); Cecilio Correa and Marco Navas, the no.12 seeds, overcame Guatemala’s Allan Gutierrez and Kevin Montufar, the no.5 seeds (11-4, 11-6, 11-5) to reserve they place in the quarter-finals, where they accounted for a pairing very much in form.
They beat Puerto Rico’s Yomar Gonzalez and Ricardo Jimenez, the no.20 seeds (11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10), the second round victors in opposition to the Dominican Republic’s Samuel Galvez and Emil Santos, the no.4 seeds (11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10).
At the semi-final stage Cecilio Correa and Marco Navas meet Cuba’s Jorge Campos and Andy Pereira, the no.2 seeds; in the opposite half of the draw Mexico’s Marcos Madrid and Ricardo Villa, the top seeds, confront Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador and Daniel Gonzalez, the no.3 seeds.
Very much according to seeding, at the quarter-final stage Marcos Madrid and Ricardo Villa beat Cuba’s Livan Martinez and Juan Rondon, the no.6 seeds (10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7); Jorge Campos and Andy Pereira accounted for Colombia’s Julian Ramos and Joaquin Villegas, the no.7 seeds (11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8).
Progress without the need for a deciding game, for Brian Afanador and Daniel Gonzalez life was more exacting; they were extended the full distance by Guatemala’s Hector Gatica and Heber Moscoso, the no.8 seeds (11-4, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7).
Success against the odds for Cecilio Correa and Marco Navas, in the Women’s Doubles event it was the same for their colleagues, Gremlis Arvelo and Neridee Niño. The no.14 seeds, they caused a second round upset by beating the Dominican Republic’s Eva Brito and Yasiris Ortiz, the no.4 seeds (7-11, 11-6, 16-14, 11-8), prior to reserving their semi-final place by overcoming Mexico’s Marbella Aceves and Yadira Silva, the no.7 seeds (11-3, 11-2, 11-6).
A semi-final place secured contrary to expectations, for the remaining outfits who advanced, it was as per status.
Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz and Melanie Diaz, the top seeds, accounted for Guatemala’s Mabelyn Enriquez and Andrea Estrada, the no.5 seeds (11-7, 11-1, 11-9) to reserve their semi-final place. Likewise Colombia’s Paula Medina and Luisa Zuluaga, the no.2 seeds, accounted for Puerto Rico’s Fabiola Diaz and Daniely Rios, the no.8 seeds (11-7, 11-5, 11-8). In a similar vein, Cuba’s Lisi Castillo and Idalys Lovet, the no.3 seeds, ended the hopes of El Salvador’s Emme Arias and Estefania Ramirios, the no.6 seeds (11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4).
At the semi-final stage, Adriana Diaz and Melanie Diaz meet Gremlis Arvelo and Neridee Niño, Lisi Castillo and Idalys Lovet oppose Paula Medina and Luisa Zuluaga.
The semi-finals and finals of both the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events will be played on the morning of Monday 23rd July.
