by Ian Marshall, Editor

Prior to the commencement of the tournament in Guaynabo, Estefania Ramirios, now 28 years old, had announced that it would be her last international event; the no.16 seed, having in the morning session of play experienced defeat at the hands of Chile’s Paulina Vega, the no.7 seed (11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 11-3), later in the day she was beaten by Mexico’s Yadira Silva, the no.9 seed (8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5).

Furthermore, it was farewell to a player with a Puerto Rican connection; now 28 years old she lives in Ponce in the south of the island where she is the manager at the Melia Century Hotel.

“I’ve played now for 18 years and El Salvador has always supported me but now they don’t have a lot of money for international play. I studied at university in Ponce and now I want to focus on my management career. For sure I feel sad at the moment but I very happy to have been able to play for so long and in so many international competitions.” Estefania Ramirios

Farewell to Estefania Ramirios but very much hello to the Dominican Republic’s Yasiris Ortiz, competing in her first ever Pan America Cup. The no.12 seed, she opened her accounted with a six games win in opposition to Guatemala’s Lucia Cordero, the no.15 seed (11-6, 11-4, 10-12, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7).

“I feel very proud and very happy to qualify to play in this tournament. I had to win the tournament in the Caribbean, in Jamaica. Lucia is very good from the backhand, so I always tried to attack the centre and focus on good variation with my services.” Yasiris Ortiz

Yasiris Ortiz now plays Brazil’s Gui Lin, the no.6 seed, to decide first place in the group; Yadira Silva confronts Paulina Vega.