by Simon Daish
The player seeded 15th for the women’s singles draw, Daniela Fonseca Carrazana was presented with one of the toughest challenges of the Round of 16 with Chilean no.3 seed Daniela Ortega standing opposite.
Just under 20 minutes on the match clock, all appeared to be progressing according to plan for Ortega with the opening three games all unfolding in her favour. Contesting a best of seven tie, just one game separated Ortega and a spot in the quarter-finals, but Fonseca Carrazana pulled off a sensational comeback win by picking up the following four games in a crazy turn of events (9-11, 6-11, 7-11, 14-12, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7).
Ortega would prove to be the highest seeded entry to fall during the session with fellow compatriot Paulina Vega and Puerto Rico’s Melanie Diaz both advancing.
Second seed Vega recovered from a one game deficit to overcome Guatemalan opponent Lucia Cordero in five games (10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7), while top seed Diaz needed just the four to strike victory over Dominican Republic’s Esmerlyn Castro (12-10, 13-11, 11-9, 11-3).
Defeat for one Dominican Republic hopeful but it was success for another as Eva Brito secured her place in the last eight. Sitting two positions above Colombia’s Paula Medina in the seeding list, no.7 seed Brito was prepared for a close contest and the match lived up to expectations with five of the seven games decided by a two point margin. A strong response from 3-1 down, Medina saved multiple match point opportunities in the closing game but it wasn’t enough to deny Brito (11-2, 10-12, 12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 9-11, 12-10).
Yadira Silva and Mexican colleague Monica Munoz, seeded at no.5 and no.13, were also amongst the list of winners in the Round of 16, battling past Ecuador’s Nathaly Paredes (11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 14-12) and Argentina’s Candela Molero (12-10, 9-11, 11-3, 15-13, 11-8). The two remaining fixtures favoured the players seeded fourth and sixth as the host nation’s Camila Arguelles and Guatemala’s Mabelyn Enriquez beat Venezuela’s Neridee Nino (11-2, 11-6, 10-12, 11-6, 11-9) and Paraguay’s Lucero Ovelar (11-2, 11-8, 11-2, 7-11, 13-11) respectively.
The women’s singles draw is scheduled to resume with quarter-finals action from 13.45 local time.
