by Ian Marshall, Editor
Eusebio Vos remained unbeaten to secure first place in his junior boys’ singles initial stage group, notably accounting for Brazil’s Shim Joon (11-9, 11-7, 11-9), the highest rated player on first phase duty.
Defeat for Shim Joon but it was his only defeat of the day; thus second place and progress to the main draw was the outcome.
Similarly, Rachel Vernaza emulated Eusebio Vos in the junior girls’ singles competition; the lowest rated player in her group, she caused a major upset by beating Argentina’s Florencia Chirino (11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 13-11), the top name on first stage duty. Similar to Shim Joon it was to prove the only reverse for Florencia Chirino, thus a main draw place was reserved.
An unexpected first place for Eusebio Vos, in the junior boys’ singles event it was the same for Peru’s Joel Cisneros, Colombia’s Santiago Montes and Brazil’s Henrique Noguti. In the remaining groups, it was top spot as anticipated; Chile’s Jean Parra and Jeremias Paredes, alongside Argentina’s Tomas Sanchi, all reserved first positions.
Leading names secure top places
First places as expected, in the junior girls singles event, with the exception of Colombia’s Manuela Echeverry, who like Rachel Vernaza started the day as the lowest listed in her group and ended unbeaten in first position, it was first place for the group top names.
Peru’s Maria Maldonado and Delia Soria secured justified their status as did Chile’s Sofia Vega alongside Argentina’s Isabella Fragapane and Valentina Parola.
Top seed beaten but survives
Meanwhile, in the cadet boys’ singles event, a competition in which all the leading names competed, there was defeat for Ecuador’s Diego Piguave, the top seed; he was beaten by Peru’s David Mendoza Salazar (11-9, 11-5, 12-10). Thus he had to settle for second place in the group behind his unbeaten nemesis.
First place contrary to expectations for David Mendoza Salazar; in the cadet boys’ singles event it was the same for Chile’s Alvaro Fuentes, Argentina’s Gaston Tresca, Brazil’s Augusto Andrade and Peru’s Alvaro Chavez.
Notably, as anticipated Ecuador’s Jeremy Cedeño, Peru’s Rodrigo Vigo and Brazil’s Leonardo Kenzo topped their respective groups.
Similar situation
Surprise first positions, the situation also applied in the cadet girls’ singles competition. Brazil’s Beatrix Kanashiro and Victoria Strassburger topped their groups contrary to status; a result that was also the scenario for Colombia’s Mariana Ruiz and Argentina’s Abril Okuyama.
Conversely, as expected, it was first places for Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi alongside the Chilean trio of Fernanda Araneda, Chile’s Sofia Perez and Romina Barrientos.
Play continues on Saturday 7th March when in both the junior and cadet age groups, the boys’ doubles, girls’ doubles and mixed doubles events will be played to a conclusion.
